Person dead after fire engulfs unit in downtown Los Angeles residential high-rise

One person is dead after a unit at a residential high-rise in downtown Los Angeles was engulfed in flames early Tuesday morning.

Over 100 firefighters from the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a fire at a 12-story residential high-rise on the 100 block of W. Fifth Street. When crews arrived, they found smoke coming from the seventh floor.

The LAFD said one person was found dead inside the corner unit where the fire originated. Crews were able to knock down the blaze in about 50 minutes.

Due to "excessive storage conditions" inside the fire unit, the LAFD said crews need to remove large amounts of debris to ensure no smoldering hot spots are left behind. They also said that, given the fire unit is on the seventh floor of the building, cleanup will require an extended duration salvage and overhaul operation.

The LAFD Arson Unit will assist in the investigation to determine the cause of the fire.

Drivers are urged to avoid the area around Fifth and Main Street.