Fire station undergoing repairs after February fire

Repairs were approved after a fire in February left Downey’s Fire station 4 uninhabitable.

DOWNEY - Work to repair one of Downey’s fire stations was approved last Tuesday, after a fire late February left the new building uninhabitable.

On Feb. 25, a fire broke out at station no. 4 – located at 9349 Florence Ave. - causing no injuries but considerable damage to the building.

According to city staff’s report, the fire most possibly originated inside an exterior wall at the second floor. A preliminary investigation by the City’s Fire Inspector indicated a malfunctioning electrical system as the cause.

During the incident, the walls and flooring sustained water damage due to the activation of the building’s sprinkler system. Areas of the roof and portions of both the interior and exterior walls as well as ceilings were also removed during firefighters’ attempt to contain the fire quickly.

The odor of burnt building material has also lingered since the event.

It is estimated that cost of repairs will be over $600,000, which will be handled through a claim with the city’s insurer.

Personnel have since been moved to and operated out of fire stations no. 1 and 3, and will continue to do such until repairs are complete.

The fire station had previously been renovated and modernized in 2021 as part of Measure S, reopening in July.