Fire Destroys Cars, Garage at Junkyard

A fire of suspicious origin swept through a Pacoima junkyard early Monday, destroying 20 cars and a large garage.

The fire occurred just before 6 a.m. at the facility in the 11900 block of Branford Street, said Brian Humphrey, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Fire Department.

A crew of 25 firefighters who arrived at the swiftly moving blaze took about a half-hour to control the flames, Humphrey said.

The cars were salvage vehicles that ordinarily are dismantled for their parts, which are sold.

The building was a 1,600-square-foot shed that did not include the facility’s main office, Humphrey said. The loss--including the cars, structure and other contents--was estimated at $227,000.

Humphrey said the cause of the fire is suspicious and remains under investigation.

There were no injuries.