Emergency crews find 1 dead in building fire in South El Monte

Tony Kurzweil and Erin Myers

19 mins ago

An investigation is underway after an industrial fire broke out in the San Gabriel Valley overnight and one person was found dead.

The fire was reported shortly before 11:30 p.m. on Rush Street near Edwards Avenue in South El Monte.

When emergency responders arrived, they found heavy smoke and fire rising from the building.

A Los Angeles County Fire Department spokesman told KTLA that part of the roof collapsed during the firefight and firefighters had to temporarily adopt a self-defense stance.

A fire department spokesman later confirmed that one person was found dead in the building, which houses several shops.

No information about the victim’s identity has been released.

The cause of the fire was investigated.