Massive fire in apartment tower under construction closes LA freeways

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 8 (UPI) -- A massive fire gutted an apartment complex under construction in downtown Los Angeles early Monday and closed nearby highways.

About two-thirds of the 1.3 million-square-foot Da Vinci apartment building was destroyed, fire officials said. Two other buildings were damaged.

The Da Vinci was to be the latest in a complex of apartment buildings in the area. Its website promised "urban-style elegance and European living" with a full-size basketball court, a theater and other attractions.

About 250 firefighters were involved in getting the blaze under control after it was reported at about 1:30 a.m. Fire Chief Ralph Terrazas said most of the fire was out by 3 a.m., but firefighters continued to deal with hot spots.

"This is a historic fire, what we as firefighters would call 'a career fire,'" David Ortiz, a fire department spokesman, told NBC News. "It's huge. I really can't remember a building fire this big and I have been with the department for 13 years."

The heat was so intense that traffic signs on the 110 freeway were destroyed and a nearby building's facade was damaged by "radiant heat." The fire spread to an office tower.

"Large windows gave under the amount of heat," Jaime Moore, another department spokesman, told the Los Angeles Times. "There was active fire on three floors."

Terrazas said the cause of the fire was still unknown.

The 110 and 101 freeways were closed for about three hours. The northbound 110 was expected to reopen at about 8 a.m. local time.

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Massive fire in apartment tower under construction closes LA freeways