A fire in a telephone facility knocked out 911 call centre - battery bank complicated firefighting efforts

A five-hour fire that tore through an AT&T telecommunications hub in Gardena, California early Sunday morning triggered widespread disruptions to 911 emergency services, cellphone coverage, and internet access across parts of Los Angeles County, including Redondo Beach, Carson, and Harbor Gateway.

Illustration credit: Conceptual image of a telecom fire affecting 911. From an idea by Bjorn Ulfsson, executed by Microsoft Copilot.

Emergency Services Impacted

As reported by Los Angeles Times and other media, at approximately 2 a.m., a trash fire ignited near the facility on South Vermont Avenue, eventually spreading into a 300-by-200-foot communications building housing lead-acid batteries and sensitive telecommunications equipment. The blaze prompted Redondo Beach Police to post an alert on Facebook at 2 p.m., warning that 911 lines were temporarily down due to a “telecommunications outage in the South Bay.” Service was restored within the hour.

Shelter in place order due to toxic smoke from burning batteries

KTLA News wrote that the fire  compromised the building’s roof and attic, causing a small explosion and making it difficult for crews to contain the fire. Over 100 firefighters, including Hazmat teams, responded to the incident. Residents nearby were asked to shelter in place due to concerns about toxic fumes from burning batteries. 

The fire reportedly tore through three AT&T buildings in Gardena’s Harbor Gateway district, leaving thousands without cell and internet service. The fire began as a seemingly minor rubbish fire in the bushes lining Vermont Avenue and quickly escalated into a full-scale emergency.

“The flames climbed from the brush straight into the building,” said Captain David Fabela of LAFD Station 27.

Within moments, the fire had engulfed three interconnected structures—some dating back to the 1960s—housing sensitive telecommunications gear, batteries, and power systems. The aging infrastructure, combined with hazardous materials and a collapsing roof, reportedly made firefighting challenging. 

Roughly 100 firefighters from 25 companies fought the blaze for five  hours. As the attic gave way, crews were forced to shift tactics, adopting a defensive stance to protect personnel. 

“Once that attic space collapsed, it became nearly impossible to get hose streams in for full containment,” Fabela explained.

AT&T Confirms Service Disruptions

AT&T acknowledged the incident in a public statement, confirming that thousands of customers experienced patchy cell coverage and internet outages. The company deployed its Network Disaster Recovery team and switched to backup power sources to stabilize services.

“Earlier today our facility in Gardena, California suffered extensive damage because of a fire. Our employees are all safe and we thank the Los Angeles Fire Department for their quick response and help today. They will continue to remain onsite overnight to ensure no additional issues occur.

If you are one of our nearly 2,000 home phone or internet customers in the area, we know you might be experiencing a service impact with your home phone. If you are in an emergency situation, please use your cell phone to call 9-1-1.

Some mobile phone customers in the area may be experiencing limited impact. Even if you are not able to make a regular call, you will be able to reach 9-1-1 by calling using your mobile phone. We are also working with other providers to help with service issues.”