Firefighters extinguish huge strip mall fire in Hollywood

A structure fire was reported at a strip mall at 6383 W. Yucca Street at Cahuenga Blvd. at about 2 a.m. Thursday.

"I am looking at the laundromat next door and there are a couple of booms like explosions and then the top of the laundromat catches flames and I am like 'that's not good,'" said Jake Kelly who lived in a nearby dormitory.

Eighty-one firefighters extinguished the blaze in about 90 minutes, according to the L.A. Fire Dept.

A 7-Eleven store is attached to a laundromat in the one-story strip mall building. The store sustained major damage. The fire is believed to have started in the laundromat, according to the LAFD. The fire spread through a shared attic.

The fire re-ignited at least twice, and firefighters remained on scene dousing hot spots.

No injuries were reported.

Cahuenga was expected to remain closed between Franklin Ave. and Hollywood Blvd. for several hours Thursday morning.    

Surrounding buildings, including a hotel, were not damaged. Some students were evacuated from a dormitory at the nearby American Musical and Dramatic Academy.

"We get up and we see people banging on the doors, pulling people out of their rooms," said student Sophia Neos. "I just grabbed my shoes and I left my phone, my laptop everything was in there." 

The cause of the fire is under investigation.