Firefight continues as “stubborn” fire burns at vacant building near West LA

Firefighters continued their day-long battle against a “stubborn” fire burning at a vacant commercial building near West Los Angeles on Monday. 
The blaze, which broke out at a two-story building at a Sawtelle strip mall in the 2000 block of S. Bundy Drive, was first reported at around 6:15 a.m. and was still an issue as the sun began to set Monday evening, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. 
Crews began working in defensive mode to prevent the flames from spreading to surrounding businesses, which included an Ace hardware store and a Staples office supply store. 
“Well coordinated and methodical efforts continue to fully extinguish deeply entrenched pockets of stubborn flames throughout the vacant and boarded 53,500-square-foot two-story commercial building,” LAFD said in a press release. 
They say that the building has previously been the site of fires and that Monday’s flames added to the severe structural damage. In the past six months, they’ve reported to six different fires at the abandoned building.
“There are people experiencing homelessness that have used this building for refuge and over the last few months we have been here a number of times,” said LAFD Assistant Chief Joe Everette. “Since the first time we have come here, we tend to find more stuff in the building, and hence it adds to the fire load.”
Residents say the building has been a nuisance in the past.
“I knew immediately what the building was gonna be,” said Phil Nofziger, who lives in the area. “It’s abandoned, you know, occupied by squatters.”
He says that he’s seen trespassers there before. 
“I noticed that there’s some holes cut in the fence, there’s some places where people can go in and out of, you know, that wre obviously created by vandals and people who don’t belong there,” he said. 
At around 6:30 p.m., firefighters said that they would remain on scene over night, hoping to finally and fully extinguish the flames that continued to burn deep within the “tons of smoldering debris.” 
So far, no injuries have been reported. 
While their battle continued, crews closed all lanes of Bundy Drive between Olympic Boulevard and LaGrange Avenue. They are expected to be closed until firefighters clear the scene. 
Heavy mechanized equipment like bulldozers and excavators were called to the scene to assist with the demolition and abatement of physical hazards created by the fire. 
Additionally, LAFD’s Hazardous Materials team was called to the scene, as well as the Department of Building & Safety. The building cannot be demolished until they’re able to coordinate efforts with its owner. 
It remains unclear what sparked the blaze.