Large Fire Reported in West Long Beach

Originally posted at 3:29 p.m. July 1, 2014. Edited with new details.

An electrical sign manufacturing facility in an industrial area of western Long Beach was severely damaged in a fire today, but the 11 employees escaped without injury.

The fire in the 1500 block of West Anaheim Street was reported shortly before 1 p.m., according to Brian Fisk of the Long Beach Fire Department.

He said the fire quickly went to a third alarm, with as many as 45 firefighters on scene. Fire crews went into a defensive mode when the roof began collapsing. The blaze was knocked down in about 30 minutes, although crews remained on the scene throughout the afternoon.

A damage amount was not immediately available and the cause was still under investigation.