LA Fire Department at Work

            The LAFD (Los Angeles Fire Department) is called out 150 times a day just for trash fires in dumpsters, sidewalk waste bins, waste left in alleys for pickup, and debris left in abandoned buildings. Most of these fires are quickly extinguished, but not all. A fire that starts in a dumpster can spread to a building. The fire in an alley might ignite a parked car. Preventing trash fires begins with eliminating the sources used to start a fire either unintentionally or intentionally.

         A LAFD Arson Investigator spoke at the July meeting of the Community Police Advisory Board for the Central Area. If the fire is determined to be arson, finding the arsonist requires an eyewitness or public-facing camera that captures the person starting the fire. 

But many fires are started unintentionally, such as a cigarette not extinguished before being placed in a trash can. In abandoned buildings, unhoused individuals are cooking or keeping warm with fires that can leap to other flammable items.

         There are ways to reduce the number of trash fires:

1.    Alley dumpsters should have a padlock. We ask our neighborhood businesses to adopt this measure.

2.    No trash should be placed in alleys overnight – cardboard boxes, pallets, or other trash.

3.    No trash should be left on sidewalks including sofas, mattresses waiting for bulk pickup, and bags of garbage.

4.    Abandoned buildings need to be secured with no entry access. If you see something (open door, broken window, evidence of someone living in the building), say something by reporting the issue to the South Park BID/Social District – 866.560.9346 or dispatch@lasocialdistrict.com. South Park has had three major fires started by people in vacant buildings.

Let’s all help to keep our neighborhood safe from trash fires. If you see any of the above, say something to your residential manager or report to the South Park/Social District.

By Debra Shrout