Many Westwood residents awoke to the smell of smoke early Monday
morning when an old fraternity house at 611 Gayley Ave. caught
fire. No injuries were reported, and the blaze was quickly
controlled and extinguished.
The fire, which UCLA Fire Marshall Dana Johnson said was likely
caused by transients in the building, was the second one in as many
months at the same building. The first was caused by transients
using the building, Johnson said.
The fire was reported just before 7 a.m. and was quickly
controlled and dissipated, Johnson said. No evacuations of the
fraternity houses on either side of the building were
necessary.
Because of an off-shore breeze, the smell of smoke was widely
dispersed, causing complaints from areas as far as 200 Medical
Plaza on Westwood Boulevard, he said.
Gayley Avenue was closed off to through traffic at Strathmore,
and several fire trucks and dozens of firefighters lined the
street.
Johnson expected the street closures to last until 8:30 a.m.
With reports from Jennifer Mishory, Bruin staff.