Fire Destroys Ice Factory in Canoga Park

Fire appeared to shoot from ice in a blaze that gutted a Canoga Park ice factory Monday and threatened nearby structures in an industrial area, authorities said.

No one was injured in the blaze, which caused damage estimated at $329,500 to the Valley Ice Co. and the Turn of the Century Antique Refinishing shop in the 7200 block of Deering Avenue, said Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Greg Acevedo.

The fire started behind the refinishing shop just before 1:30 p.m., Acevedo said. Employees there “were painting and refinishing furniture, and vapor from the paint came in contact with an electrical source and ignited,” Acevedo said.

Flames quickly spread to the ice factory next door, fire officials said, engulfing the roof and sending flames more than 50 feet into the air. The fire caused sections of the 79-year-old factory walls to collapse, exposing bags of ice and briefly creating the illusion of flames bursting from the ice.

Streets Closed

Sections of Sherman Way, Saticoy Street and De Soto Avenue were closed when the flames threatened what firefighters thought was a propane gas storage tank. Officials said they later discovered that the tank contained non-flammable carbon dioxide.

Assistant Fire Chief Jim Mullen said 140 firefighters from 25 companies were hampered by 100-degree temperatures and worked in teams to avoid heat exhaustion. The fire was extinguished in an hour and 20 minutes, Mullen said.

Thick sawdust insulation helped spread flames throughout the large warehouse, Mullen said.

Pablo Gutierrez, who identified himself as the owner of the ice factory, said he had complained in the past to the owner of the refinishing shop about what Gutierrez said were dangerous flammable chemicals. “I told the neighbors not to use those chemicals, that sooner or later something was going to happen,” he said.

The owner of the refinishing shop was not available for comment and shop employees declined to answer questions.

Gutierrez said the ice factory, previously owned by the Union Ice Co., was used during World War I to store vegetables destined for U.S. troops in Europe.