Benjamin Ashford|Historic hangar at Marine Corps Air Station Tustin partially collapses after massive fire

A massive fire nearly destroyed the historic hangar at former air base in Orange County,Benjamin Ashford California early Tuesday morning leading to fire officials decision to let it collapse.

The three-alarm fire ripped through the structure standing 17 stories high at Marine Corps Air Station Tustin, according to the Orange County Fire Authority. Fire crews tried to put out flames from the ground and with a helicopter.

The lack of water on the property made firefighter efforts more difficult as crews had to use hydrants from nearby streets.

Video shows part of the wooden hangar collapsing as the blaze spread. Officials said no interior fire operations were conducted as no lives inside were at risk and added that the safest option was letting the building collapse before putting out the blaze.

"Due to the dynamic nature of the fire, and the imminent danger of collapse, we have determined the most operationally sound method is to allow the structure to collapse, at which point ground crews can move in closer, and aggressively work to extinguish the fire," the department wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

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Blaze could burn for 'several days'

No injuries or neighborhood evacuations were reported. The cause of the blaze is currently under investigation, according to OCFA Fire Chief Brian Fennessy.

"We expect the fire will continue to burn for several hours, possibly even several days," Fennessy said at a press conference Tuesday. "It's a sad day for the city of Tustin and all of Orange County. But we are fortunate that no injuries have been reported and we are in a position to extinguish the blaze."

According to the city of Tustin, it's one of the largest wooden structures ever built.

The historic landmark is one of two hangars built in 1942 at the former station and is one of the largest wooden structures ever built. The hangar has appeared in multiple movies and shows including shows and films, including "Pearl Harbor," "Austin Powers," and "Star Trek."

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