Huntington Beach : Building Valued by Preservationists Burns

A boarded-up warehouse, one of three that some community leaders thought had historical significance and should be saved from demolition, was destroyed in a roaring two-alarm fire near the Huntington Beach Civic Center on Tuesday.

Black smoke from the abandoned building was seen for miles.

More than 30 firefighters responded to the blaze shortly after 6 p.m. Flames were brought under control within 20 minutes, fire officials said. No one was injured.

Duane Olson of the Huntington Beach Fire Department said that the blaze occurred in one of the three structures, which date to the 1940s. They were once used to build diesel trucks and are owned by the Huntington Beach Co. Olson said the local Historical Society and others in the community wanted to save the buildings, which are scheduled to be demolished.

Olson said the fire destroyed one building and smoke damaged the other two. Cause of the fire, which occurred near the intersection of Yorktown Avenue and Lake Street, remains under investigation.