A structure fire on the border of Glassell Park and Cypress Park sent thick plumes of gray smoke billowing over Dodger Stadium on Saturday night, scaring some fans who were there to watch the Dodgers face the Colorado Rockies.
The Los Angeles Fire Department dispatched 16 fire companies that battled the blaze for 42 minutes before it was extinguished at 6:37 p.m., according to spokeswoman Margaret Stewart. More than 100 firefighters responded, she said, and no one was injured.
When asked about the cause of the fire, Stewart said, “Arson is in place for the investigation, per protocol” for major fire emergencies.
The fire destroyed a 100-by-200-foot, one-story former courthouse-turned-commercial building at 1158 N. San Fernando Road, according to an LAFD statement. A nearby two-story building was “defended from damage by crews,” the statement said.
Some baseball fans shared nervous posts on social media from inside Dodger Stadium.
“This thing is growing by the minute,” one person shared on X, along with a photo looking out over the stadium towards the smoke.
“Uh … there’s a big smoke situation right outside Dodger Stadium,” wrote another.