A building on fire in downtown Los Angeles caused the closure of two of the city's main freeways, the media reported.
"More than 250 firefighters battled the blaze at the apartment tower under construction," Los Angeles Fire Department spokesperson David Ortiz said, though he added that according to preliminary reports, no one was inside the building when it caught fire.
Ortiz added that the causes of the blaze are yet to be determined. The seven-story residential building with a shopping mall on the ground floor is under construction in the area where the the two closed freeways connect with one another.
The 101 Freeway had to be shut down in both directions, as were the ramps connecting it with 110, according to Los Angeles police, who said that some of the streets surrounding the building also had to be closed to traffic.
The fire broke out around 1:20 a.m. (local time) and the flames could be seen from miles away.
