After the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) bomb squad seized several thousand pounds of illegal fireworks and unstable improvised explosive devices, the containment vehicle exploded, rocking the neighborhood Thursday evening, June 30, 2021. The unexpected explosion displaced several families, tossed cars, blew out businesses’ windows, and injured at least 17 people.
Responding to a home, they found a cache of illegal fireworks, the LAPD and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) discovered a patio full of boxes containing two and one-half tons of assorted commercial firecrackers on the 700 block of East 27th Street in Southeast Los Angeles. Officers spend the day moving the fireworks to another location. They loaded 10 pounds of the explosives into the semi-truck with a concrete core.
Because of the fireworks’ volatility, just after 7:30 p.m., PDT, the officers decided to detonate the load. Unfortunately, the vehicle did not contain the explosion scattering debris and damaging anything in its path. As a result, at least nine families were left homeless, and 17 people were injured — nine LAPD officers, six civilians, one ATF agent, and one other who refused to go to the hospital. No one suffered greater than moderate injuries.
After the explosion, Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore addressed the public and reporters to give an account of the incident. He said it was clear the officers followed protocols. It is unclear what happened, he added, but they have launched a full investigation into the explosion and the cache of fireworks confiscated by officers.
No information about who resided in the house where the fireworks were found.
Written by Cathy Milne-Ware
Sources:
The Los Angeles Times: 17 hurt in huge blast during LAPD detonation of explosive devices; by Leila Miller, Ruben Vives, and Kevin Rector
The Los Angeles Times: Before and after photos of explosion that rocked L.A. block: ‘Everybody was screaming, going crazy’
FOX 11 Los Angeles: Bomb squad truck carrying illegal fireworks explodes in South LA, 17 people hurt
Featured and Top Image Courtesy of Lord Jim’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
