PANORAMA CITY (CNS) - After one hour and 47 minutes, firefighters finally were able to extinguish an electrical fire inside and outside a five-story building today in Panorama City.
Authorities say the fire began near an electrical panel in the building, and spread to the outside as well as inside the walls at 8525 N. Tobias Ave. Los Angeles Department of Water and Power employees were summoned to turn off the power in order to allow fire crews to battle the flames that were moving vertically inside the walls.
The building has two separate power systems that will allow for the power to be shut off to the affected panel feeding the south side of the building and leave power available on the north, said Los Angeles Fire Department spokeswoman Margaret Stewart.
Officials are in the process of making the determination as to which units are no longer safe to be occupied and how many residents need to be re- housed.
It took 92 firefighters to put down the flames outside and inside the building, which has approximately 100 residential units, Stewart said. No injuries were reported.