LAFD crews battle stubborn underground fire beneath Encino athletic fields complex

Fire burning underground at athletic fields complex

LAFD crews were working to knock down a stubborn fire in Encino on Thursday morning.

LOS ANGELES - Firefighters are battling a stubborn underground fire in Encino that broke out early Thursday morning beneath a parking lot near baseball fields at the Sepulveda Basin Sports Complex.

What we know:

Firefighters responded to the underground fire around 5:40 a.m. near the intersection of Oxnard Street and Lasaine Avenue, close to baseball fields and a park in Encino. 

Fire officials said the blaze is burning inside a tunnel that runs from a wash underneath the parking lot of the baseball fields, making it difficult to access and extinguish.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but firefighters say it is possibly a warming fire from a nearby homeless encampment that got out of control. 

SkyFOX aerial footage showed the fire actively burning as Los Angeles City firefighters worked to contain it.

Officials have told the league president and those who run the baseball fields that they cannot yet evaluate the structural integrity of the parking lot until the fire is fully extinguished. 

What you may be smelling

Residents in areas including Van Nuys, Sherman Oaks, and Encino may notice a strong odor in the air. Fire officials say the smell is creosote, a dark brown oil distilled from coal tar and used as a wood preservative. The wooden beams supporting the parking lot are soaked in creosote, which produces a heavy petroleum-like smell when burning.

Despite the strong odor, there is very little visible smoke, and the fire appears to be concentrated mainly in the immediate area around the park.

Firefighting efforts

Firefighters continue to pour water onto the fire, but access remains limited due to the tunnel’s depth and darkness. To address this, crews are deploying a specialized remote suppression unit.

The device, officially called the Thermite RS3 and referred to by the Los Angeles City Fire Department as the RS-3, can spray both water and foam to suppress flames in hard-to-reach areas.

Traffic and closures

Oxnard Street is closed at Lassane Avenue as firefighters continue operations. Authorities are urging drivers to avoid the area while crews work to fully extinguish the fire and assess any potential damage.