Your AT&T service tanked this weekend because of a fire which the carrier is clueless about
A firefighter on a ladder narrowly avoided injury after coming into contact with extreme heat.
If you're living in Los Angeles County and you've been experiencing phone service disruptions lately, there's an explanation for that – there was a massive fire that tore through three AT&T buildings in Gardena's Harbor Gateway area.
The accident happened early on Sunday, disrupting cell phone and internet service for thousands of customers.
The blaze was first reported around 4:30 in the morning after starting as a rubbish fire in bushes outside the company's facility on the 16200 block of Vermont Avenue, according to Los Angeles Fire Department Captain David Fabela.
Then, the flames quickly reached the main structure and spread to three connected buildings, some dating back to the 1960s, that housed batteries, electronics, and power systems essential for telecommunications. I'm not much of a fire expert myself, but even I know such things do catch fire pretty easily. So, maybe invest in better fire suppression systems in such old buildings?
The fire was no minor deal, as roughly 100 firefighters from 25 companies worked for five hours to bring it under control. Crews faced significant challenges, including the age of the structures, the presence of the aforementioned hazardous batteries, and even a partial roof collapse. Fabela explained that the collapse made it difficult to get water streams into the attic area, forcing crews to switch to a defensive strategy for safety.
At one point, a firefighter on a ladder narrowly avoided injury after being exposed to extreme heat. He was taken to the hospital for evaluation and later released.
Residents of nearby apartments were initially advised to stay indoors and close their windows due to concerns over smoke and fumes from burning batteries and electronics. As it turns out, it's pretty important if your neighbour is a carrier.
One resident, James Larry, said he awoke to a loud boom, looked outside, and saw a man running from the building. From his balcony, he called 911 and told the dispatcher the telephone company was on fire. Another neighbor, Kathy, said she feared the flames would reach her building as they grew larger.
The AT&T incident even forced the closure of Vermont Avenue near the 110 and 91 freeways and halted nearby rail service for several hours.
AT&T confirmed the fire in a Sunday statement, noting that all employees were safe:
Technicians at the scene indicated that damage to the facility was likely contributing to patchy cell coverage, as much of the area's equipment was housed in the affected buildings.
The accident happened early on Sunday, disrupting cell phone and internet service for thousands of customers.
The blaze was first reported around 4:30 in the morning after starting as a rubbish fire in bushes outside the company's facility on the 16200 block of Vermont Avenue, according to Los Angeles Fire Department Captain David Fabela.
Then, the flames quickly reached the main structure and spread to three connected buildings, some dating back to the 1960s, that housed batteries, electronics, and power systems essential for telecommunications. I'm not much of a fire expert myself, but even I know such things do catch fire pretty easily. So, maybe invest in better fire suppression systems in such old buildings?
At one point, a firefighter on a ladder narrowly avoided injury after being exposed to extreme heat. He was taken to the hospital for evaluation and later released.
Residents of nearby apartments were initially advised to stay indoors and close their windows due to concerns over smoke and fumes from burning batteries and electronics. As it turns out, it's pretty important if your neighbour is a carrier.
One resident, James Larry, said he awoke to a loud boom, looked outside, and saw a man running from the building. From his balcony, he called 911 and told the dispatcher the telephone company was on fire. Another neighbor, Kathy, said she feared the flames would reach her building as they grew larger.
AT&T confirmed the fire in a Sunday statement, noting that all employees were safe:
Thankfully, all of our employees are confirmed safe. We are currently running on a backup power source and our Network Disaster Recovery team is deploying assets to help with any service issues our customers may experience in the area. The cause of the incident is unknown at this early stage.
– Scott Huscher, a company spokesperson, August 2025
Technicians at the scene indicated that damage to the facility was likely contributing to patchy cell coverage, as much of the area's equipment was housed in the affected buildings.
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