Massive World War II-era blimp hangar burns in Southern California
Fire is raging in a historic World War II-era wooden hangar that was built to house military blimps based in Southern California
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Fire raged Tuesday in a massive World War II-era wooden hangar that was built to house military blimps based in Southern California.
The Orange County Fire Authority said in a social media post that allowing the structure to collapse was the only way to fight the fire.
“Due to the dynamic nature of the fire, and the imminent danger of collapse, we have determined the most operationally sound method is to allow the structure to collapse, at which point ground crews can move in closer, and aggressively work to extinguish the fire,” the agency said.
Fire Chief Brian Fennessy said no injuries were reported.
The historic hangar was one of two built in 1942 for the U.S. Navy in the city of Tustin, about 35 miles (56 kilometers) southeast of Los Angeles. At the time, the Navy used lighter-than-air ships for patrol and antisubmarine defense.
According to the city, the hangars are 17 stories high, more than 1,000 feet (305 meters) long and 300 feet (91.4 meters) wide, putting them among the largest wooden structures ever built. The burning structure was known as the north hangar.
The Navy installation became a Marine Corps air station in the 1950s and closed in 1999. Fennessy said his agency was in contact with the Navy, which still owns the property.
Hollywood productions have used the hangars for TV shows and movies, and they've also appeared in commercials. In 1993, the site was listed by the American Society of Civil Engineers as one of the historic civil engineering landmarks of the 20th century.
“With all that in mind, it’s a sad day for the city of Tustin and all of Orange County,” Fennessy said. “But we are fortunate that no injuries have been reported and we are in a position to extinguish the blaze without putting firefighters at risk, albeit several days.”
The north hangar had been shuttered since it sustained roof damage during an October 2013 windstorm, according to the city.