On January 8, when Mayor Bass toured Pacific Palisades the TOPA building was standing. This image from January 8, appeared in the New York Post – GETTY IMAGES
If you look at this photo of Mayor Karen Bass, walking down Sunset at the corner of Monument on January 8, you’ll notice the TOPA building is still standing (a favorite Indian restaurant, Taj Palace, was on the second floor) and Chase Bank was on the lower level. This was the day after the fire storm had already blown through the town.
The following day, January 9, when this editor visited the village, the entire “Chase” building had burned and collapsed.
Photo taken January 9, the building that housed Taj Palace and Chase Bank is destroyed.
Why was the fire not put out? Were there no water drops that could have been made? From the Via de las Olas bluffs, this editor snapped a photo of smoke, and then a fire that erupted on the El Medio Bluffs.
The large gym’s roof at the Rec Center was smoking on January 9, and this editor asked firefighters at the Rec Center, about it and they said they had reported it, but there didn’t have hoses or water to put it out.
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This is the large gym on January 21, with significant damage. This gym was built with money from the community because funding for projects in the Palisades from the City was meager.
What excuse does the City have for not putting out the fires after the wind storm? It was reported that there was no water in the hydrants.
Initially the City blamed residents for the low water pressure because they said that everyone left their garden hoses running. That is a blatant lie.
According to firefighters, as the flames raced through the houses, the water pipes broke in the houses and sent water running.
How many more buildings and homes could have been saved on January 8 and 9, if only the City had sent in water air-support? It’s another question that CTN will ask the City and if we receive a response, we’ll update this story.
From the Via de las Olas bluffs one could see smoke over on the El Medio bluffs on January 9.
This editor watched as the fire erupted at the site–but there were no aerial attempts to put it out.
Great Reporting on the blatant negligence of the fire department.
boy are we on the same page sue……these political assholes should be hog-tied in the town center and stoned!
I ssue I’m , Sherman from the ex theater Do you know when I can enter my house. I’m told that it is OK
Still standing, but on fire.
Sherman,
I’m printing something tonight so that people know how they can access that information.
Sue