Dennis RomeroBummer when you work in the news business and you become a headline.
But such was the case for NBC Los Angeles today when one its “news vans” caught on fire at the side of the 405 in the Sepulveda Pass, prompting, you guessed it, the rest of the journalistic twitterverse to point and gawk with glee.
The blaze, which actually seemed to rip through a Chevrolet Suburban SUV with NBC markings, happened …
… on the northbound 405 near Getty Center Drive, according to a statement from the L.A. Fire Department.
LAFD's Matt Spence said the blaze was finished shortly after 11. We first heard about it 15 minutes prior to that, and Spence said the vehicle was “well-involved.”
No injuries were reported, but perhaps some egos were bruised as news choppers hovered overhead.
KNX 1070 Newsradio's helicopter pilot said on air he was headed there because he “wouldn't miss it for the world.”
Observer Andrew Veis tweeted, “Hey @NBCLA I think your news van is on fire!,” and other journos retweeted that.
Look on the bright side. Usually L.A. news van fires involve angry mobs or ape-shit Lakers fans. There was no violence here, only a Chevy big-block barbecue, apparently.
Added: More tweets:
I can hear the anchor saying: “Coming up on the 12 o'clock news… What do you do when the news van *becomes* the news?” LOL
An @NBCLA news van is burning on the 405 Freeway in the Sepulveda Pass.” / maybe they needed a news story!
Gathering breaking news in @NBCLA Newsroom. Our news van on fire was news for other TV stations
One of those days.
[@dennisjromero/djromero@laweekly.com]
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