A large fire in downtown Los Angeles destroyed an apartment tower that was under construction and forced the closure of parts of two major freeways, leaving thousands of Angelenos facing a difficult Monday morning commute.
Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman David Ortiz told the Los Angeles Times that more than 250 firefighters were battling the blaze at 909 West Temple Street early Monday. Fire officials also said that two other buildings nearby suffered damage. One building suffered "radiant heat damage" on three floors, while the second suffered fire damage on three floors and water damage on the remaining 14 floors.