Fire burns parts of Burbank home

NORTH SAN FERNANDO — Investigators are working to determine the cause of an early morning fire that scorched parts of a vacant home and drew nearly 50 firefighters into action. The blaze in the 1400 block of Broadway caused $450,000 in damage to the structure, Burbank Fire Capt. Ron Bell said. No injuries were reported. Firefighters at 3:56 a.m. were called to the two-unit structure at 1401 Broadway after neighbors reported seeing tall flames and smoke billowing out of windows. Crews attempted to enter the building but were rebuffed by fierce flames below the structure, at ground level and inside a sectioned-off attic, Bell said. Firefighters withdrew into defensive mode and put up a ladder-pipe operation, pelting the home with 750 gallons of water per minute to extinguished most of the flames by about 5 a.m. At least two of the occupants moved out this month and construction workers and painters were spotted at the home last weekend, according to neighbors. Members of Glendale Fire Department were called into the city to backfill positions in case of another emergency, Bell said.