SOUTH GATE, California — A massive second-alarm commercial building fire erupted in South Gate on Sunday afternoon, May 24, 2026, unleashing towering walls of flame and a dense plume of black smoke that could be seen for miles across Southeast Los Angeles County. The sheer intensity of the blaze prompted local authorities to issue emergency warnings to surrounding neighborhoods.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACoFD) responded to the emergency at approximately 2:40 p.m. in the 11800 block of Industrial Avenue. First responders arrived to find a one-story commercial building—identified as a tire and automotive parts facility—completely engulfed in heavy smoke and aggressive flames.

Because of the extreme thermal radiation and heavy smoke, crews were immediately forced into a defensive posture. Rather than entering the volatile structure, firefighters utilized extended ladder trucks to attack the inferno from above, focusing their efforts on dousing the burning salvaged auto parts and preventing the fire from jumping to neighboring properties.

As toxic, charcoal-black smoke drifted into local residential areas, the South Gate Police Department and County Supervisor Janice Hahn enacted immediate emergency precautions. A public alert ordered residents and businesses near Garfield Avenue and Imperial Highway to shelter in place, while safety protocols instructed the community to bring all pets indoors and keep all doors and windows tightly sealed.

Furthermore, the incident caused gridlock and outages as police temporarily closed Gardendale Street and Industrial Street to the public, and the fire triggered a localized power outage that knocked out electricity for nearly 500 Southern California Edison customers in the immediate vicinity.

By roughly 4:20 p.m., LACoFD personnel successfully knocked down the bulk of the flames. Ground crews remained on the scene well into the evening to douse lingering hot spots and ensure the structural remnants were fully cooled.

Miraculously, authorities confirmed that no injuries were reported among civilians or responding firefighters. The exact cause of the fire and the full scope of the property damage remain under investigation by arson and fire officials.