A construction site the size of a city block caught on fire in the wee hours of Monday, shutting down two major freeways while it blazed.

Hundreds of firefighters battled the fire which lit up the night LA sky for mile. “This is a historic fire, what we as firefighters would call a career fire. It’s huge”, said Fire Department spokesman David Ortiz in a statement to NBC news. “I really can’t remember a building fire this big, and I have been with the department for 13 years”.

The intense heat of the fire melted nearby highways signs and forced windows of surrounding buildings to smash due to the temperatures, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The fire was “fed” by wood framing at a planned seven-story, luxury apartment complex which spanned 1.3 million square feet. Ortiz said he didn’t think anyone was living or working there when the fire began.

Fire officials also stated that two more buildings are damaged, including several floors of a 16-story office tower.

Photos: Erik Politzer for USA Today