Fire Guts Crenshaw Boulevard Carpet Store

A spectacular fire gutted a carpet store on Crenshaw Boulevard near Stocker Street on Wednesday evening, sending flames and smoke spiraling into the night sky, but firefighters brought the blaze under control before it spread to nearby businesses, fire officials said.

No one was injured at the fire in the 4100 block of Crenshaw Boulevard, but firefighters remained at the scene for hours soaking each pile of carpeting to prevent reignition, officials said. Flames leaped 70 feet in the air and could be seen over a wide area near the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza shopping mall.