A stubborn basement fire ripped through a hillside home in Westlake late Friday morning, sending a thick column of smoke drifting over nearby blocks and triggering a heavy, multi-company response as crews scrambled to keep the flames from hopping to neighboring structures.
According to the Los Angeles Fire Department, the blaze was reported at 11:11 a.m. at 129 N Westlake Ave. It was logged as Incident #0613 and drew multiple battalion, engine, and truck companies, along with rescue ambulances and Fire Station 20. Battalion 11 was placed in command of the incident.
What firefighters found
LAFD described “heavy smoke showing from a basement of a descending hillside home,” prompting an offensive attack aimed at reaching the lower-level seat of the fire while at the same time shielding adjacent properties. Crews worked the slope to gain access and improve ventilation, trying to knock back the fire before it could creep uphill toward nearby units.
Westlake fire patterns and access challenges
Westlake has a history of occasional fast-moving structure fires, and the neighborhood’s mix of older multiunit buildings and hillside lots can turn routine calls into logistical puzzles. Previous LAFD responses in the area have highlighted how quickly some of these fires can be contained, but also the added risk when flames get into basements and attics, as reported by CBS Los Angeles…