West Hollywood Hit by 2 Blazes; 4 Firefighters Hurt

Four firefighters were injured and damage was estimated at more than $1 million from two fires that broke out within less than two hours in the same neighborhood of West Hollywood.

The first blaze, at 6:30 p.m., gutted the interior of the Gina B. Showroom, a furniture storage warehouse in the 8700 block of Santa Monica Boulevard. Damage was said to be close to $1 million.

Twenty-two Los Angeles County Fire Department companies responded to the blaze. Two firefighters suffered first- and second-degree burns on their legs and one firefighter was treated for an eye injury. All were released after treatment at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

As firefighters were mopping up at the scene, a Jeep sped through a barricade set up at San Vicente and Santa Monica Blvds., smashed into a fire hydrant and struck an unidentified county fire captain. The fire official was not seriously hurt, officials said.

Deputy Fires Shot

A sheriff’s deputy at the scene said he tried to stop the Jeep and fired a shot as the vehicle sped by at about 50 m.p.h. The unidentified male driver, who was taken into custody for questioning, was not hurt.

The second fire broke out at 8:15 p.m. in the carport of a building in the 8400 block of Santa Monica Boulevard, where the Consteau Society maintains its Southern California offices. The blaze was confined to the carport and damage was estimated at $100,000, but county Fire Battalion Chief Gordon Pearson said that figure may grow when officials of the society take an inventory of equipment stored in the area.

Pearson said sheriff’s and Fire Department arson investigators are cooperating in checking the origins of the two fires because of their proximity and timing.