Historic Pacific Dining Car damaged in early-morning blaze
A blaze damaged but did not topple Westlake's historic Pacific Dining Car restaurant Thursday morning, the second fire reported at the shuttered eatery in less than a year.
Roughly 100 Los Angeles firefighters responded to a fire at the 1300 block of West Sixth Street. The call came in at 6:53 a.m. and first responders reached the facility at 7:06 a.m.
Once inside, firefighters determined the fire started in and damaged the attic along with the roof of the structure. The building was vacant, and there were no injuries.
It took about 45 minutes to knock down the blaze. Fire investigators are still determining the cause.
'It has not burned down,' Los Angeles Fire Department spokesperson Lyndsey Lantz said.
The Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety was also on the scene to determine the building's structural integrity.
The Spanish clay-tile-roofed restaurant, built in 1921 and moved to its current location in 1923, was designed to resemble a railroad car. It closed permanently in 2020 and was boarded and fenced up at the time of the fire.
Part of the restaurant burned in August.
The Pacific Dining Car was once a popular eatery among L.A.'s movers and shakers, known for fine steaks and 24-hour service. It made several cameos in movies throughout its history, including 'Training Day.'
The Los Angeles City Council designated a portion of the site as a historic-cultural monument in 2023.
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