
A hellish inferno at a downtown Los Angeles apartment building has caused hellish gridlock in for commuters this morning after two major highways had to be closed - adding an hour or more to the drive to work for many Angelinos.

More than 250 firefighters are on the scene at 909 West Temple Street near the interchange of the 110 Freeway and the 101 Freeway.

Authorities closed both highways, which are major thoroughfares through downtown Los Angeles, after the blaze started about 1.20am Pacific Time.

The 101 Freeway was reopened before rush hour, but much of the northbound 110 remained shut off into Monday afternoon.

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Los Angeles Fire Department said more than 250 firefighters are battling a blaze, which can be seen for miles around

Firefighters do not yet know what caused the massive blaze, which towered over downtown Los Angeles on Monday morning

The fire engulfed an apartment tower that was under construction and spread to at least two other buildings before crews could bring it under control

The blaze at the seven-story building filled the surrounding area with smoke, causing the the 110 Freeway and the 101 Freeway to close

The northbound lanes of the 110 Freeway remained shut through Monday morning because firefighters feared that the smoldering remains of the building could collapse on to the highway

'Just imagine that major artery - which is about eight miles long that takes people downtown and into Hollywood, Glendale, Burbank. To shut that off. We’re adding another hour of commute,' California Highway Patrol spokesman Edgar Figueroa told the Los Angeles Times.

Traffic slowed to a crawl more than three miles from the highway shut down and alternate routes and other major highways soon became choked with traffic Monday morning.

One angry commuter, naming downtown streets, could be heard ranting: 'First is shut down and Temple is shut down. Downtown is basically shut down.'

Most of the inferno was brought under control in 90 minutes, though firefighters remained worried that the smoking wreckage could collapse on to the 110 northbound.

Three lanes of the highway were finally reopened about 10.15am - well after rush hour.

Smoke and flames could be seen billowing up from the blaze for miles around - dwarfing even the skyscrapers of downtown Los Angeles.

Rubble: The wood frame apartment building burned quickly and was reduced to little more than cinders. Much of the debris fell on the 110 Freeway, causing the northbound lanes of the major artery to close

Firefighters say they were shocked by how quickly and uncontrollably the blaze spread. Five stories of wood frame construction were fully engulfed in just minutes

Two other building - both of which house municipal offices - were damaged by the fire. One of the buildings - a 16-story high-rise - had all but two floors damaged by smoke and water

The flames cross the 110 freeway and melted road signs. Only three lanes of the highway were open by Monday afternoon

Witnesses from as far away as West Hollywood reported seeing the fire.

'This is a historic fire, what we as firefighters would call "a career fire." It's huge. I really can't remember a building fire this big and I have been with the department for 13 years,' Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman David Ortiz told NBC News.

The inferno grew so intense, that it spread to a 16-story office tower nearby and damaged another adjacent building - both of which house municipal offices for Los Angeles County.

Three floors of the 16-story tower caught fire and only the building's emergency sprinkler system saved it from being completely engulfed. Firefighters say 14 of the 16 floors have at least water and smoke damage.

The building houses several county departments, including Parks and Recreation Department.

Another building, Los Angeles County Health Services,

Scorched asphalt: Flames and smokes poured across the 110 and 101 freeways, causing authorities to shut down both until the fire could be contained on Monday morning

The chief of LA's fire department tweeted this picture of his men bringing the blaze under control

Inferno: The fire is burning at a building site planned to be a tall residential structure

Downtown: The fire turned an apartment complex near a key Los Angeles interchanged to cinders

The fire was sparked in the partially built Da Vinci apartment tower.

No one was inside at the time and there have been no injuries reported. Fire fighters do no yet know what caused the blaze.

The 1.3million-square-foot building had two floors of concrete construction with five floors of wood-frame construction on top. It encompassed nearly an entire city block.

Damage is estimated to be in the millions.

The Da Vinci was meant to be a luxury high-rise development with shops and offices on the bottom two floors and apartments on the top.

The fire all but leveled the apartment building and burned several floors of another high-rise

The fire broke out just down the block from a LAFD fire station. Firefighters emerged from the station house to see the blaze

Parts of the 110 Freeway were charred and remained close into rush hour on Monday morning