Fire rips through downtown L.A. strip mall

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES -- Firefighters battled a massive fire at a strip mall in the Fashion District of downtown Los Angeles for more than an hour Thursday morning.

The fire was reported at 1220 S. Wall Street around 4:19 a.m., according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

AIR7 HD was over the scene around as fire crews worked to extinguish flames shooting out of the back of the one-story building, which houses several clothing stores. Plumes of heavy, black smoke were also seen high above the strip mall.

Firefighters were seen on the roof of the building and on the sidewalks in front of the stores, standing in ankle-deep water as clothing items flooded out of the building.

Fire crews were able to get the fire under control shortly after 6 a.m.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.