A north-to-east view from a boat slip in Marina del Rey's Basin E; Marina City Club is the left-most building, with the Ritz-Carlton Marina del Rey second from left. This photo depicts the original wood and canvas docks at Wayfarer Marina, replaced in 2019 by new concrete docks.

Two firefighters have been injured battling a blaze that erupted at a historic yacht club in Los Angeles County, California.

The California Yacht Club in Marina del Rey was engulfed by flames on Monday night (11 December 2023), with The Los Angeles Fire Department receiving its first report at 11.30pm local time.

Fire crews arrived to find thick smoke and flames obscuring the two-story building on Admiralty Way, which was founded in 1922 and built in 1967.

Video shared by local news outlets shows large flames consuming the structure. Multiple fire engines and firefighters were called in to help contain the blaze, Fred Fielding, a fire department spokesperson, tells the LA Times.

Two firefighters have been taken to hospital with moderate injuries, Fielding says. Their current status has not been confirmed.

Jeremy Stafford, supervising fire dispatcher at the L.A. County Fire Department, told the Times that the blaze was under control by 1:30am on Tuesday morning. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

In an Instagram post, the California Yacht Club said: “Thank you to all of the first responders and our thoughts are with the two firefighters injured. Our community is strong and we will work together on what’s next.”

The California Yacht Club was started in 1922 by yachtsman from the Los Angeles Athletic Club and other yacht clubs, according to the club’s website.

“My dad built this place in the early 60s and it has been our home for many years…such a tragedy to see it burn down,” Steve Hathaway, the former owner of California Yacht Club, told CBS Los Angeles. 

Images of the aftermath show many boats surrounding the club are intact, and the roof of the clubhouse also appeared to be untouched by the flames.

Marina del Rey translates to ‘Harbour of the King’ in Spanish and is popularly visited by sailboats and powerboats, along with rented and owned charters.

Main image: View from a boat slip in Marina del Rey’s Basin. Image via Alexander Migl/Wikicommons.

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