LAFD firefighters battle large fire in downtown LA, 2 buildings 'consumed' by flames

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Two commercial buildings in downtown Los Angeles were heavily damaged by a large fire that broke out Thursday afternoon.

The fire was reported shortly after 1 p.m. in the 200 block of East Winston Street.

Firefighters found a row of commercial buildings with smoke showing and began an offensive attack, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Crews were forced to transition to a defensive operation due to the deteriorating conditions and an unchecked fire.

Two buildings were "consumed" by the flames, the fire department said.

"As firefighters made their way into the building, they encountered heavy storage conditions which hindered their ability to reach the seat of the fire towards the back of the building. Crews battled for over forty minutes, but the blaze extended into the adjoining structure and the intensity grew," LAFD said in a statement.

It took over 100 LAFD firefighters to knock down the flames just before 7:30 p.m., and the fire was held to the building of origin and an adjacent structure on the east side, LAFD said.

No injuries were reported.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.