Bomb squad truck carrying illegal fireworks explodes in aSouth LA, At least 17 people hurt
At least 17 people were hurt a person and several cars were damaged following an explosion during police attempts to safely detonate illegal fireworks in a South Los Angeles neighborhood Wednesday evening.
The moment the explosion happened. Wow. 📸: alyssaacasillas @FOXLA pic.twitter.com/bz0epXHUUr
— Jessica Oh (@JessicaOhTV) July 1, 2021
According to Fox Los Angeles, a bomb squad truck carrying illegal fireworks unexpectedly exploded during what was originally supposed to be a planned detonation event. It was not immediately known why the containment of the detonation of the fireworks failed
WATCH: Sky9 was overhead when police attempted to detonate a stash of illegal fireworks that ended in an explosion in the 700 block of East 27th Street in South L.A. https://t.co/KpWiAEoyqv pic.twitter.com/UbIXLDoZjh
— CBS Los Angeles (@CBSLA) July 1, 2021
The impact of the explosion blew out windows, destroyed nearby cars, and damaged nearby buildings. The Los Angeles Fire Department said nine people were being evaluated. Their current conditions are unknown at this time.
The Urban Search and Rescue task force was on scene to evaluate the structural integrity of the most heavily damaged building.
Several reports indicate that earlier in the day, police seized around 5,000 pounds of illegal fireworks from a home in South Los Angeles. Police arrested a 24-year-old man and discovered the fireworks.
Stay with News Channel 3 for updates.
Earlier this year, a massive fireworks-caused explosion in an Ontario neighborhood. Two people were killed when a large amount of fireworks inside a home were ignited.
Locally, illegal fireworks destroyed a Cathedral City home back in April. Valley cities and Riverside County is now cracking down on fireworks, even "safe and sane."
"Fireworks are illegal, even on Fourth of July," said Battalion Chief John Williams with CCFD. He said crews are preparing to crack down on illegal displays. "If you're caught with fireworks – either you're using them, shooting them, or in possession – you'll be fined $1,000 for first offense, $2,000 for second offense, $3,000 for third offense, and so on," he said.
If you see illegal fireworks, call police, or 911 if it's an emergency.
