Large fire erupts near El Paso, Texas, international airport, injuring 5

EL PASO, Texas (AP) — A fire broke out at a transportation center next to the international airport in El Paso, Texas, on Tuesday, injuring five people and sending a large tower of black smoke billowing over the city on the U.S.-Mexico border.

Authorities did not immediately say what caused the fire at Sun Metro Bicentennial Council Transit Operations Center.

More than 100 firefighters responded to the blaze, said El Paso Fire Department Deputy Chief Robert Arvizu. He said he did not immediately know how many people were inside the building, whose walls and roof caved in. Authorities said they had the fire under control by midafternoon.

The fire did not disrupt flights at El Paso International Airport, said El Paso city spokesperson Laura Cruz Acosta.

A van drives into Sun Metro Bicentennial Council Transit Operations Center on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, in El Paso, Texas. (AP Photo/Andres Leighton)

Employees of the public transportation service Sun Metro wait at a gas station after being evacuated from their operations center due to a fire Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, in El Paso, Texas. (AP Photo/Andres Leighton)

Employees of the public transportation service Sun Metro wait at a gas station after being evacuated from their operations center due to a fire Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, in El Paso, Texas. (AP Photo/Andres Leighton)

Firefighters spray water on a fire at the the maintenance facilities of the public transportation service Sun Metro Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, in El Paso, Texas. (AP Photo/Andres Leighton)

An ATF agent walks towards the Sun Metro Bicentennial Council Transit Operations Center after a fire at the maintenance facilities on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, in El Paso, Texas. (AP Photo/Andres Leighton)

Employees of the public transportation service Sun Metro wait at a gas station after being evacuated from their operations center on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, in El Paso, Texas. (AP Photo/Andres Leighton)

As a dust storm hits the area, firefighters spray water on a fire at the maintenance facilities of the public transportation service Sun Metro on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, in El Paso, Texas. (AP Photo/Andres Leighton)

Firefighters spray water on the maintenance facilities of the public transportation service Sun Metro on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, in El Paso, Texas. (AP Photo/Andres Leighton)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sei Young Kim had an eight-stroke lead with five holes left Saturday at El Caballero Country Club in the JM Eagle LA Championship. She ended up needing to get up-and-down from off the back of the 18th green to salvage a two-shot advantage.

“Oh, wow, it feels like roller-coaster,” the 33-year-old South Korean said.

Her late meltdown with four straight bogeys gave two-time event winner Hannah Green and others who thought they were playing for second a chance Sunday in the final event before the first women’s major of the season.

“It’s golf. It can be happen again," Kim said. "It’s learn and then learn and learn. Mistake and then learn. Hopefully, success end of the day tomorrow.”

Kim shot a 1-under 71 to get to 15-under 201. Green, the 2023 and 2024 champion at Wilshire Country Club, had a 67 to join Suvichaya Vinijchaitham (67), Jessica Porvasnik (68) and Ina Yoon (71) at 13 under. Former UCLA star Patty Tavatanakit was another stroke back after a 67.

“I’m just going to go out there and play golf,” Tavatanakit said.

The tournament is being played at El Caballero for the second straight year because of course renovations at Wilshire. The Chevron Championship is next week in Houston for the first of the five women’s major tournaments.

A shot ahead entering to day, Kim birdied the par-5 first and all the other odd-numbered holes on the front nine, running in a 20-footer on the par-3 ninth for a seven-stroke lead. She pushed the lead to eight before falling back with the bogeys on Nos. 14-17.

“Every hole is downwind starting 15 until the 18,” said Kim, who hit into the water on 16 going aggressively at a difficult pin. "I was struggling with the downwind today.”

She won the BMW Ladies Championship last year at home in South Korea for the last of her 13 LPGA Tour titles.

“I’m very confident, but I just keep doing what I’m doing the last couple days," Kim said. "That’s what I can do the best. So we’ll see tomorrow.”

Green has three worldwide wins this year — the HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore on the LPGA Tour and the Women’s Australian Open and Australian WPGA in her home country.

“I don’t really know where they put the pin locations for tomorrow, but I’m sure they’ll be tricky and there will be some holes that will probably play easy,” Green said. “I’ve noticed the last two days the wind is kind of switched at times so that will be tricky to manage. The ball is going far off the tee.”

Amateur Asterisk Talley was tied for 23rd at 7 under after a 69. The 17-year-old Talley is playing her first event since losing the lead on the back nine in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.

During the round, the sponsors raised the purse $1 million to $4.75 million.

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Sei Young Kim hits from the fifth tee during the first round of the LPGA's JM Eagle LA Championship golf tournament at El Caballero Country Club, Thursday, April 16, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)