Three people were injured in a massive blaze that engulfed a single-story commercial building Monday afternoon in Canoga Park.
Firefighters responded to the structure on the 8400 block of North Canoga Avenue just before 12:20 p.m., the Los Angeles Fire Department said.
Sky5 was overhead as crews battled the blaze and thick black smoke poured from what LAFD described as a 50-foot by 100-foot one-story commercial building that was possibly the site of a marijuana grow operation.
About 150 firefighters worked on the scene to put out the fire within 75 minutes, LAFD said.
Fire officials reported that three men suffered severe burn injuries, including two who are in critical condition and the other in serious condition. All three have been taken to local hospitals, and no other injuries were reported.
Officials also reported that “several” vehicles had been damaged by the fire, but it’s unclear how many there were. Crews, meanwhile, were able to prevent flames from damaging other nearby structures, given that the site of the fire was within a complex that included multiple industrial buildings.
The Los Angeles Police Department had units on scene to assist with traffic control. Police have closed at least one lane of Canoga Avenue between Roscoe Boulevard and Parthenia Street for an unknown duration.
Firefighters remained at the scene to assist with the active investigation into the cause of the fire. Officials have yet to determine the name and the nature of the business(es) involved within the damaged structure, including their legal status to operate.
No further details were immediately available.