LOCAL : Blast, Fire Raze Fairfax Building
An explosion and fire destroyed a Fairfax district commercial building early today, the fire department said.
City Fire Battalion Chief Carlton Callaway said the force of the 1:47 a.m. explosion knocked a man to the ground standing 150 feet away and sent shards of glass flying across the street. No injuries were reported.
Arson is suspected and investigators found traces of flammable liquids in the building, Callaway said.
Six stores located within the building were damaged and an appliance store and a neighboring carpet store were a total loss, he said.
Traffic near the busy intersection of Pico Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue was diverted at least four hours.
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