Fire consumes Hollywood building housing multiple businesses

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A Los Angeles city firefighter lays a stream of water on a burning two-story commercial building on Santa Monica Boulevard in Hollywood. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

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A Los Angeles city firefighter climbs to the end of a truck ladder to direct water on a fire in two-story commercial building in Hollywood. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

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Onlookers cover their faces for protection from the smoke coming from a fire at a commercial building in Hollywood on Tuesday morning. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

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A Los Angeles firefighter keeps an eye on the flames rising from a two-story commercial building in the 5400 block of Santa Monica Boulevard in Hollywood. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

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A firefighter trains his hose on a fire in a two-story commercial building on Santa Monica Boulevard in Hollywood. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

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A fire engine extends its ladder for a firefighter perched on top to get an overview of the fire. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

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Firefighters and equipment surround a building building on Santa Monica Boulevard in Hollywood. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

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A Los Angeles Fire Department battalion chief walks through part of the burned-out two-story commercial building in the 5400 block of Santa Monica Boulevard in Hollywood. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

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Two Los Angeles City firefighters stand amid a tangle of hoses after fighting a fire in a two-story commercial building in Hollywood. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

By Nabih Bulos

May 6, 2014 8:52 AM PT

A fire that broke out in a mixed commercial use building in Hollywood Tuesday, sending a huge plume of smoke over the area, was knocked down roughly two hours after causing significant damage.

The fire began in the electrical room and attic of the building, at 5488 W. Santa Monica Blvd., at 7:09 a.m., according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Twenty-one fire engines and five rescue vehicles were dispatched to blaze, which closed surrounding streets.

The building was not open for business at the time of the fire, and no injuries were immediately reported. The blaze was knocked down at 9:02 a.m.

At one point, fire department spokeswoman Katherine Main said the blaze was burning “so aggressively, we had to pull the firefighters away from the roof and the building.”

Firefighters then went into defensive mode and shot water onto the building from above.

The building contained a restaurant and a few other storefronts.

The cause has yet to be determined.