A team of over 100 firefighters with the Los Angeles Fire Department put out the flames at a four story building in the downtown Los Angeles area on Thursday.
The "Major Emergency" structure fire was reported around 11 a.m. near West Pico Boulevard and South Hope Street, LAFD said.
Firefighters were “deploying master streams via ladder pipes and wagon batteries on the fire engines,” the LAFD said.
It was believed that the fire started on the fourth floor, and although the building was reported as vacant, firefighters set up ladders to help unhoused people in the area exit the building.
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The Los Angeles Police Department said the building was the old Morrison Hotel, which has been vacant for nearly 15 years.
The building was purchased last year by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation.
It took firefighters about an hour and a half to put out the flames. "Per protocol for this size of an incident, LAFD Arson is on scene for the cause investigation," LAFD said.
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Drivers are advised to avoid the area.
