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Thousands of customers are facing disruptions in mobile phones and internet services early Sunday morning after a fire that swallowed three AT&T buildings in the Gardena Harbour Gateway area, officials said.
According to Captain David Fabera, of Los Angeles Fire Station Station 27, the flames first began at about 4:30 a.m. as a garbage fire in bushes outside the facility along the 16,200 block of Vermont Avenue.
Within minutes, the flame spread across three connected structures, some dating back to the 1960s, storing electronic devices, batteries and power systems for electronic communications equipment.
Approximately 100 firefighters, including 25 companies, fought the flames for five hours.
The age of the building, the presence of batteries and partial roof collapse made it difficult to contain the fire, officials said. “That attic space collapsed and it became very difficult for the Horsestream to disappear due to full containment,” Fabera said, adding that the crew adopted a defensive approach to keep firefighters safe.
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One firefighter on the ladder escaped the injury narrowly after being exposed to a severe heat. “Initially he didn’t want to go see the doctor, but we were forced to go and check out him,” said David Ortiz, a spokesman for LAFD. The firefighters are released from the hospital and are expected to be fine.
Authorities initially directed residents of nearby apartments to close their windows and shelter due to concerns about smoke and potentially toxic smoke from burning batteries and electronic devices. The hazard was later deemed unimportant, Fabera said. Firefighters are also monitoring the water runoff from the site.
Witnesses said they would see the flames rising high into the pre-dawn sky. James Larry, who lives a block away, hears the big boom and says he runs to the balcony and sees “the man escape” from the building. “You may not know that, but the phone company is burning out,” he recalls telling the 911 dispatcher.
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Neighbor Kathy, who lives next door, said she feared that the fire would spread across her building. “I saw the fire, and it was getting bigger and bigger,” she said. Others praised the firefighters for their quick work. “They were spread out in auto parts stores, so they did an amazing job. We would have toasted here,” Larry said.
The incident closed rail services and closed traffic lanes on Vermont Avenue near the 110 and 91 expressways for several hours.
AT&T confirmed the fire in a statement Sunday. “Thankfully, all employees have been confirmed to be safe,” said Scott Fuscher, a company spokesperson. “We currently operate on backup power and our Network Disaster Recovery Team deploys assets to assist with the service issues that our customers may experience in the area. At this early stage, the cause of the incident is unknown.”
The site’s technicians said fire damage could be behind the patchy cell range in the area. “Cell phones are uneven because there are a lot of equipment coming from this office,” one worker said.
Sara Welch’s report contributed to this article.
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