LA fire aftermath: photos and video from the Da Vinci inferno

LOS ANGELES -- Firefighters were still dousing hotspots as cleanup crews moved around the Da Vinci apartment complex fire on Monday morning, in the aftermath of a blaze that covered downtown in a haze of acrid smoke well into late morning.

Hours before, crews were called in from all over the city to battle the inferno that lit up the night sky and reduced the active construction site to ruins. Firefighters putting out smoldering areas said it was too early to tell what had caused the overnight blaze, though the Los Angeles Times reported Monday afternoon that it was being treated as a "criminal fire" due to its huge scale and rapid spreading.

Media was confined to a designated area on Temple Street and Fremont Avenue (below), but Mashable was able to walk right up to the building via an adjacent parking structure where a fire-door was propped open with a safety cone.

The designated media area for the Da Vinci apartments fire in Downtown Los Angeles. Credit:

Credit: Mashable/Josh Dickey

Cleaning crews were already milling about, despite the fact that a significant amount of smoke was still rising from the charred rubble.

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Dozens of fire rigs were stationed around the collapsed structure, several with ladders aloft and hoses deluging the debris.

A firefighter douses the Da Vinci apartment fire in Downtown Los Angeles. Credit: Mashable/Josh Dickey

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Cinders and ash were scattered on the streets, sidewalks and concrete plazas for blocks all around the blaze:

A legal brief that'll need to be re-filed. "Debtor's Notice of Motion and Motion for Extension." Good excuse now ... pic.twitter.com/xlWXdMADPM— Josh Lincoln Dickey (@NotoriousJLD) December 8, 2014

A cinder from the Da Vinci apartment fire in Downtown Los Angeles. Credit: Mashable/Josh Dickey

Buildings near the blaze suffered severe damage. The Lewis Brisbois building (below) had all of its windows on the entire fire-facing side blown out, and its sign warped by the intense heat.

The totally jacked-up Brisbois building in Downtown Los Angeles. Credit: Mashable/Josh Dickey

An even closer office building held up a little better -- perhaps it wasn't downwind -- but didn't come out unscathed:

A single window was blown out of an office building near the Da Vinci apartment fire in Downtown Los Angeles. Credit: Mashable/Josh Dickey

Not every section of the Da Vinci complex was destroyed ...

The still-standing portion of the Da Vinci apartments after Monday morning's fire. Credit: Mashable/Josh Dickey

... but those that were were burned beyond salvage:

Wreckage from the Da Vinci fire in Downtown Los Angeles. Credit:

Fire inspectors were already on the scene, though the scale of the fire could mean several days or weeks before an exact cause is determined.

A firefighter inspects the damage from Monday's blaze that destroyed the Da Vinci apartments. Credit: Mashable/Josh Dickey