Huntington Park fire station previously damaged by fire reopens

Nearly a year after it was severely damaged by a massive fire, Huntington Park's Los Angeles County Fire Station 164 reopened last week. 

"I am proud to welcome our firefighters back to their fire station, known as `The Big House,'" said LA County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone on Friday.

The blaze happened on May 1, 2024 at around 4 a.m. at the station located in the 6000 block of Santa Fe Avenue, according to LACoFD officials. 

Though they were able to contain the fire in about 90 minutes, the flames left major damage behind. They were temporarily relocated to Vernon before living out of trailers just outside of the station as it remained partially operational.

At the time of the fire, Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn shared a statement on the incident. 

"The firefighters were sleeping when the fire broke out, and if it were not for a Good Samaritan who rang the station's doorbell to alert them, this fire could have been much worse," said Hahn's statement. "Our firefighters couldn't reach their turnout gear, so many of them fought the fire in T-shirts and flip-flops until a nearby station could respond."

The fire damaged the station's garage as well as multiple fire engines, crews said at the time. No injuries were reported.

Hahn introduced a motion in August of last year that expedited $16 million to rebuilding and renovating the station. It was approved by the Board of Supervisors, leading to the construction being "completed in record time," she said in a statement released on Friday. 

"I don't think in my wildest dreams did I believe we would be back here celebrating the reopening of this station in just 11 months," Hahn said. "It's a testament to the dedication and attention of our county employees who worked hard to bring Station 164 back. The brave firefighters at Station 164 have been through a lot this past year, but their commitment to serving these communities never faltered. We could not be more grateful for their continued dedication to the people of LA County."