One person was taken into custody Thursday evening in connection with a massive structure fire inside a two-story apartment building in Westlake.
Calls about the fire came in around 5:15 p.m. at a building located on the 2800 block of 7th Street, according to a news release from the Los Angeles Fire Department.
Prior to the fire breaking out inside the complex, an LAFD engine was already on scene to support an LAPD operation. The call was upgraded to a structure fire response after one of the firefighters saw smoke coming from a window.
Heavy flames were showing in both the second floor and attic, and additional resources were requested.
In total, more than 100 firefighters responded to the scene, the Fire Department said.
The building was fully evacuated and firefighters worked their way through the building to ensure that no people were trapped inside.
The fire was eventually extinguished about 53 minutes after firefighters arrived on scene.
What led up to the fire actually started unfolding hours earlier during a heated argument between a brother and sister on the second floor. She came outside and called police, while her brother stayed inside.
“The door had been barricaded with a couch, and so she could not push it open,” LAPD Capt. Aaron Ponce said. “So, the officers tried to and encountered the man in the doorway holding knives.”
Police said that officers then backed off and attempted to talk the man out of the apartment.
“He came out onto the balcony in between the two apartments, began throwing things at the officers. It’s my understanding he also lit some clothing, lit some type of objects and threw those at the officers,” Ponce said.
That’s when the fire began to engulf the suspect’s apartment.
“He exited out of the apartment, jumped out of the apartment. We took him into custody,” Ponce said.
Following the suspect’s arrest, a tough, hour-long battle for firefighters began.
Drivers were encouraged to avoid the area of 7th Street and Hoover Street due to the active scene and abundance of first responders.
