Highland Park Electrical Vault Fire Displaces 40 in LA

A fire in the electrical room of a Los Angeles apartment building forced about 40 people out of their homes early Thursday, Oct. 8, even though flames never spread through the residential units. The blaze, in the Highland Park neighborhood, shows how damage to a building's power equipment alone can leave tenants without a place to stay.

What happened

According to the Los Angeles Fire Department, as relayed by MyNewsLA, the first call came at 4:16 a.m. for a burning three-story residential building on East Meridian Street, listed at number 5618. Crews found an electrical vault, which holds the meters connected to the building's apartments, burning. The flames exposed a second-floor apartment and a first-floor office. Firefighters, who worked in an offensive mode (going inside to fight the fire rather than only protecting nearby structures), had it knocked down at about 4:30 a.m.

KTLA, in a report carried by Yahoo News, placed the building in the 5600 block of Meridian Street and also described the fire as being in the vault that holds the units' meters.

Who was affected

Roughly 40 people had to leave, the department said, as a result of both the blaze and the loss of electricity. No injuries were reported. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power was notified about the outage, and the American Red Cross was notified about the displaced residents, according to both reports.

Hoodline, which also covered the fire, reported that the outage reached beyond the building into the surrounding community and that LADWP later said crews had finished repairs and restored power to Highland Park. The fire department's early statements did not say how long residents of the building itself would be kept out, and we could not find an official update on when they could return.

Cause

The cause of the fire has not been determined and remains under investigation. Hoodline noted that other underground vault problems have been reported around Los Angeles this year, including a Sept. 21 vault fire near LAX, but authorities have not tied those incidents together or to this one, and nothing published so far links the Highland Park fire to aging equipment or heat.

What this means for renters

Most people picture an apartment fire as flames tearing through homes. This one is a reminder that a building can become unlivable without that. When meters, panels or other electrical equipment are damaged, power may be cut for the whole building until repairs are made and inspected, which can take days or longer.

If something similar happens in your building, these steps can help:

• Write down what happened. Photograph the scene and keep a dated record of when power went out, who you spoke to and what you were told.
• Ask the landlord in writing whether the unit is considered uninhabitable, how long repairs are expected to take and whether rent will be reduced or paused. Tenant protections vary by state and city, so check local rules or contact a tenant-rights group or legal aid office.
• Contact the Red Cross if you need short-term shelter or help with immediate needs after a fire.
• Save receipts for hotels, meals and spoiled food. Renters insurance with loss-of-use coverage often reimburses extra living costs, and a claim usually requires receipts. See our guides on what to do after an apartment fire.
• Keep your belongings safe. Ask before re-entering, since damaged electrical equipment can be dangerous even after the fire is out.

Renters who do not carry insurance are the most exposed in situations like this, because the building owner's policy typically covers the structure and not a tenant's belongings or hotel costs. Even a basic policy is usually inexpensive compared with a week of lodging.

We will update this story if the fire department or the city releases a cause or details about residents' return.