Massive fire at former North Hills church leaves 2 injured, families displaced

Massive fire destroys building in North Hills

Two people were injured after a fire broke out at a building in North Hills. 

LOS ANGELES - Families were displaced, and two people were injured after a massive fire erupted at a nearby vacant building in Los Angeles' North Hills neighborhood Tuesday night, authorities said. 

What we know:

More than 100 Los Angeles City firefighters rushed to the scene in the 15200 block of Parthenia Street, between Columbus and Burnett avenues, just before 6 p.m. 

First-arriving crews encountered a two-story, boarded-up vacant building with heavy fire showing. Flames and heat threatened a large, neighboring four-story apartment building, prompting an immediate evacuation. 

Firefighters conducted a floor-by-floor sweep of the apartment complex to assist residents who were evacuating and to check for any fire extension. Two women were sent to the hospital for possible smoke inhalation. 

The fire department announced that three apartments were yellow-tagged, but a report from the scene Wednesday afternoon indicated that 41 units had been yellow-tagged, meaning they sustained moderate damage and are inhabitable only on a limited basis.

The blaze burned for nearly two hours before it was declared a knockdown. 

On Wednesday morning, dogs trained to search for human remains were brought in to determine if anyone may have died in the building. Neighbors told reporters homeless people were known to take up residence in the building, which used to be a church.

According to the fire department, the dogs "showed interest" in an area not easily accessible by firefighters. Since the dogs are trained to detect the presence of human blood, bone or tissue, the fact they showed interest in an area does not necessarily mean a body is present, fire officials said.

What we don't know:

Sources told FOX 11 the two-story building was on LAFD’s radar as a known homeless encampment with tents surrounding the building. 

The cause of the fire is under investigation.  

Local perspective:

The blaze marked the second vacant building fire in the San Fernando Valley the same day, following an earlier fire in Winnetka.

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