Just in: Fires damage buildings in Los Angeles

Highways shut down during morning commute in US city ' s
business district after blaze engulfs multiple buildings .
A pair of huge fires have burst across the Los Angeles
skyline, damaging four buildings and closing down highways
during the morning commute.
No injuries were reported in Monday' s blaze but the flames
near a major traffic junction could be seen for miles and
billowing clouds of smoke closed down adjacent highways in
two directions .
The fire was in a building planned to be a tall residential
structure, David Ortiz, Los Angeles Fire Department
public information officer , said , adding that he did not think
anyone was living or working there .
Los Angeles ' 101 freeway was closed in both directions, while
the California Highway Patrol said transition lanes between
the 110 and 101 freeways were shut down .
City fire officials were unable to give an immediate cause
for the blaze , which severely damaged a seven -storey
apartment building that was under construction.
Damage to the structure appeared to be nearly total.
Flames spread for a whole city block, nearly a million
square feet , officials said .
The apartment development in the city ' s business district had
caused some controversy in the community due to a
pedestrian bridge the developers wanted to erect so residents
could avoid street traffic , the Los Angeles Times newspaper
reported .
The blaze spread quickly through the building and officials
warned there was a risk of building scaffolding falling into
the roadway even after the fire was contained .
The fire was so big that responding firefighters could feel the
heat from the flames from their fire station , a city
information officer told AFP.
Two adjacent office towers were also damaged by the
extreme heat . Flames spread to the buildings but were
extinguished, officials said .
A second fire a short drive away also caused severe
damage to a building housing apartments and commercial
spaces that was under renovation.
Both fires were brought under control on Monday morning.
More than 350 firefighters - a quarter of the city ' s
firefighting force - battled the blazes , the fire department ' s
Ortiz told AFP.
Firefighters from nearby areas came in to assist with the
response efforts .
"There was a great impact due to both fires on local
commute traffic , " Ortiz said .