Port of Los Angeles fire burns dock, prompts evacuations

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A fire burned about 150 feet of a pier at a dock at the Port of Los Angeles Monday night, the Los Angeles Fire Department said.

The blaze, which began around 6:40 p.m., threatened nearby boats and a warehouse at Berths 177 and 179 at 802 S. Fries Avenue in Wilmington.

Boats threatened by the fire were moved to safety. About 115 firefighters attacked the flames from the air, ground and water, LAFD spokeswoman Katherine Main said.

Divers with fire hoses fought the fire from under the water. The bulk of the fire was contained around 8:30 p.m.

At about 9 p.m., evacuations of the APL and NYK terminals were ordered due to smoke. About 850 terminal employees were evacuated as a precaution.

"We did evacuate two cargo ships, not because they were in any danger, but just for precautionary reasons," LAFD Capt. Jaime Moore said. "We moved those two cargo ships out to anchorage just so our firefighters could get in there and those cargo ships wouldn't be impacting their operation."

No injuries were reported. The cause of the blaze is under investigation, but officials say it does not appear to be suspicious. Firefighters say the wood under the berth is treated with creosote, which is flammable, but preserves the wood.

The Port of Los Angeles says the fire slowed down business Monday night, but the impact, in terms of dollars, remains to be seen.

"We expect to be operating most of the terminals, if not all of them, by tomorrow morning," port spokesman Phillip Sanfield said.

San Pedro, Wilmington and Long Beach residents were asked to avoid the smoke by closing their windows and staying inside.

CNS contributed to this report.