Los Angeles, United States - August 10, 2025 08/10/2025 04:34 am GMT-0700 HARBOR GATEWAY, LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Firefighters responded to a structure fire at a commercial building located near the intersection of West 163rd Street and South Vermont Avenue in the Harbor Gateway neighborhood early this morning. Initial reports described the incident as a rubbish fire that had extended into the structure of the building, which measures approximately 300 by 200 feet. Fire units arrived on the scene at about 4:33 a.m. and began fighting the fire using offensive tactics. However, due to rapidly changing conditions, they transitioned to a defensive firefighting mode shortly thereafter. By 4:50 a.m., firefighters had confirmed the fire was located in the front of the building and was spreading to the rear. As the situation progressed, the fire reached the attic, prompting additional requests for resources. At approximately 5:20 a.m., a small explosion was reported, resulting in a compromise to the roof. Incident command pulled all crews off the roof and out of the building for safety reasons. Shortly before 6 a.m., firefighters were fully engaged in a defensive operation, utilizing ladder pipe operations to combat the flames more effectively. Resources were requested for traffic control due to the necessary shutdown of operations along Vermont Avenue. The fire remains contained to the one-story portion of the building, with firefighters monitoring the structural integrity due to the presence of a large storage battery and a subterranean electrical vault.