17 Injured in South Los Angeles Area After Police Detonate Fireworks
SOUTH LOS ANGELES, Calif. (July 1, 2021) — Seventeen people, including 10 LAPD officers, were injured Wednesday night when a controlled detonation of fireworks resulted in a major explosion in South Los Angeles.
The huge blast shook local residents about 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 30th in the 700 block of East 27th Street, according to KTLA News.
The Los Angeles Police Department seized a large cache of fireworks from a home in the area and arrested Arturo Cejas, 27, on charges related to possession of a destructive device, police said.
They confiscated 40 homemade “coke can-sized” devices with powder and fuses on them as well as 200 smaller similar devices. Roughly 5,000 pounds of fireworks was stacked up about 8 to 10 feet high in boxes inside the home. The bomb squad determined the illegal fireworks were “very volatile.”
Subsequently, bomb squad professionals decided to blow them up into a iron chamber mounted on a commercial grade semi-truck.
LAPD Fireworks Detonation
However, there was a catastrophic failure of the containment vehicle during the controlled explosion.
Besides the LAPD officers, six civilians and an agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives had injuries.
Three people suffered moderate injuries including a 60-year-old man, an 85-year-old woman and a 51-year-old woman. Paramedics treated the remaining 14 people for minor injuries. Authorities did not release the names of those hurt in the explosion.
Local and federal investigators continue to work on this case. The injured may have grounds for a claim against the LAPD if it is determined the detonation of the fireworks was negligent.
Johnson Attorneys Group does not represent any of the parties mentioned above. Furthermore, our law firm does not intend to represent any of the parties discussed in this article. If you would like to contribute any information, or have legal questions or concerns, please contact us.
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