Chunk of concrete retaining wall threatens to tumble off hillside in Hollywood Hills

HOLLYWOOD HILLS, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A portion of a concrete retaining wall at a Hollywood Hills home partially collapsed on Wednesday, closing off the road below due to the risk of it tumbling down the hillside.

The problem was first reported around noon at a home in the 8100 block of West Gould Avenue, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

An L-shaped portion of the concrete retaining wall was seen lodged in the dirt. Fire officials said the block weighed about 9,000 pounds.

The LAFD Urban Search and Rescue team was sent to the location to determine the safety concerns. Geologists with the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety were also evaluating the situation.

Laurel Canyon was closed in both directions from Hollywood Boulevard to Kirkwood Drive due to the incident. There was no time table established as to when Laurel Canyon would re-open, but officials said it would remain closed at least into Thursday morning.

Officials said the homeowner was currently out of the country, but people who were renting the home were inside when the incident happened. No one was injured, the fire department stated.

"When we've had rain of this magnitude we've had hillsides that are step like this, such as a Laurel Canyon, undermined by sloughing of the earth. There was no debris flow in this case, but there's obviously a lot of the earth that is still moving," David Ortiz with the Los Angeles Fire Department said.

"You can walk over there and hear a lot of the rocks rolling down the hillside and a lot of the roots cracking," Ortiz continued.

Officials said the house, which was built in 1925, has been red tagged and may not be occupied.

One home to the north and one home to the south were yellow tagged and officials said those residents may stay in their homes but could not enter their backyards.