Firefighter injured while crews battled blaze in Boyle Heights

A firefighter was injured while crews worked to extinguish a large structure fire in Boyle Heights on Thursday morning.

The Los Angeles Fire Department said it responded to the 3100 block of Pico Boulevard shortly after 8 a.m. Officials said the fire was initially burning outside of the building and quickly spread to the inside.

Responding crews forced entry into the building to begin their fire attack. About 90 firefighters were dispatched to the scene. The LAFD confirmed one of its members was injured during the firefight and was taken to a local hospital. Their condition remains unknown.

All employees inside the building were evacuated, the LAFD said. Heavy smoke could be seen from SkyCal for miles away.

By 9:51 a.m., the LAFD posted that heavy equipment crews were coordinating the removal of large amounts of burning debris from the building. The LAFD's RS3 firefighting robot was also working to make an entrance to the compromised structure to provide "extinguishment in areas not safe for firefighter access."

The LAFD said crews will remain on the scene for several hours, making sure hot spots are fully extinguished.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.