Massive fireworks explosion leaves 1 dead, 4 homes destroyed
Major fireworks explosion causes chaos in LA neighborhood
Dramatic video shows a massive fireworks explosion in a north Los Angeles neighborhood that left one man dead and his wife in critical condition. Four homes were destroyed.
One person died and another is in critical condition after a massive fireworks explosion rocked a north Los Angeles neighborhood Thursday.
Firefighters said four others and a dog were also injured by the commercial-grade fireworks. The flames destroyed four homes and at one point had spread to multiple structures, trees and cars.
Pacoima fireworks explosion
What we know:
According to FOX 11, the fire was reported around 9 p.m. Thursday at a home in the Pacoima neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley.
It took more than 130 firefighters nearly an hour to put out the flames.
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As crews evacuated the neighborhood, they discovered a man and a woman were trapped in one of the homes.
(Juan Garcia via Storyful)
The man was pronounced dead at the scene, while the woman, in her mid 30s, was taken to an area hospital in critical condition with burns to over 30% of her body. Four others were also injured by the flames. A dog was injured and taken to an emergency veterinarian.
After the fire, the LAFD reported a gas leak in one of the homes, and contacted the gas company. The blaze also knocked down several power lines, according to LAFD.
What we don't know:
The official cause of the fire has not been released, and it’s unclear just how many powerful fireworks went off.
What they're saying:
"It was very chaotic," Los Angeles Fire Department spokesperson David Ortiz told FOX 11. "There were fireworks that were exploding, there were power lines that were down … it was very similar to a war zone and there were fireworks that were raining down on this neighborhood."
Neighbors watch in disbelief
Local perspective:
The minutes-long video shot by Garcia shows just how chaotic it was in his neighborhood when the explosion took place.
"Dude, that is a huge fire!" Garcia says as he films the flames. "This house is, like, exploding. I don't know why I'm running towards it."
Someone else in the background can be heard saying, "What if they need help?"
As Garcia continues filming, the explosions get louder and louder, while the flames grow bigger and spread to multiple houses. At one point, you can hear what Garcia describes as a gas line rupturing.
(Juan Garcia via Storyful)
Garcia continued to film as he called for hoses and yelled warnings to his neighbors.
"Hey! Hey! Be careful! It's right behind your house!" he says in the video. "Hey, it's your backyard!"
"I'm getting ash in my eye and it's burning, he says later in the video.
Firefighters told FOX 11 they’re concerned by the rising use of powerful, commercial-grade fireworks in residential neighborhoods.
"Even people who have training make mistakes," Ortiz said. "It can explode on its own just by moving it."
The Source: This report includes information from FOX 11, the Los Angeles Fire Department and Storyful.