REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK : For Firefighters, It Was ‘Like Walking Into Hell’

The blistering heat inside the Metro Rail tunnel was intense--even to veteran Los Angeles firefighters accustomed to such dangers. Donning hard hats, fireproof gear, masks and oxygen tanks, four-man teams of firefighters went in for a only brief stay before giving way to another squad.

As they emerged, they spoke of the hardships of fighting a fire underground.

“If hell was like this, I think I would go to church more often,” said firefighter-paramedic John Gonzalez of the Studio City station.

Firefighter Al Gear, who spread fire-retardant foam on the flames, said: “You know when you put your turkey in the oven for Thanksgiving? Imagine being in there with it.”

Drenched with perspiration, Fire Capt. Richard Borowski said there was no wood left and that circular steel beams lining the tunnel were bending under the intense heat.

“I bet I lost a lot of weight,” he said. “(This fire is) one of the hardest ones that I have been in in 16 years. It’s scary when you’re inside and embers are falling all around.”

Chief Dean Cathey, head of planning for the Fire Department, said that battling the tunnel fire had proved extremely difficult and dangerous.

“You have one way in and one way out. It is like walking into hell. It is that hot,” he said.

Firefighters, Metro Rail workers and commuters were not the only ones affected by the blaze. Gas pipelines to a number of nearby businesses were temporarily shut off, as was a pipeline to the Metropolitan Detention Center.

But the prisoners may only have noticed it at mealtime.

“Everything has gone on as scheduled. Ordinarily we use the gas for the oven and the dishwashers,” said Gary Katsel, associate warden of the Metropolitan Detention Center. “But today we used paper plates and a microwave. Things are pretty much routine.”

Two evacuation signs were posted at Piper Technical Center on the doors of the City of Los Angeles’ Department of General Services. One handwritten sign on the second floor door window said: “The building has been evacuated! Go Home!”

The other handwritten sign was on the third floor.

Scrawled on paper, it read: “Summer Workers--No Work Today.”