A structure fire on the border of Glassell Park and Cypress Park sent thick plumes of gray smoke rising above Dodger Stadium Saturday night, alarming some fans who were there to watch the Dodgers play the Colorado Rockies.
The Los Angeles Fire Department dispatched 16 fire crews to the scene, which battled the blaze for 42 minutes before it was extinguished at 6:37 p.m., spokeswoman Margaret Stewart said. More than 100 firefighters were involved in the effort, she said, and no one was injured.
Asked about the cause of the fire, Stewart said: “The arson is on scene for investigation, as per protocol” for major fire emergencies.
The fire destroyed a 100-by-200-foot single-story former courthouse converted into a commercial building at 1158 N. San Fernando Road, according to a statement from the LAFDA nearby two-story building “was defended from damage by crews,” the statement said.
Some baseball fans shared nervous messages on social media from inside Dodger Stadium.
“This situation is getting worse by the minute,” shared one person on X, along with a photo looking out over the stadium towards the smoke.
“Uh…there is a major smoke situation just outside Dodger Stadium,” wrote another.
