16 Injured When Police Detonation Of Seized Fireworks Goes Wrong

LOS ANGELES, CA — At least 16 people, including 10 law enforcement officers, were injured and several cars and homes were damaged in a South Los Angeles explosion that occurred when police attempted to contain approximately 5,000 pounds of illegal fireworks.

Some of the injured were in nearby homes when the blast went off. Nine Los Angeles Police Department officers and one Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives special agent suffered minor injuries, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Three residents suffered serious injuries and three others suffered minor injuries.

It wasn't immediately clear what went wrong. Several broadcast outlets reported that it was a planned detonation gone wrong. However, the Los Angeles Police Department tweeted that "Our Bomb Squad officers were in the process of seizing over 5,000 pounds of illegal fireworks in the area of 27th Street and San Pedro. Some of the fireworks were being stored in our Bomb Squad trailer as a precautionary measure. Unknown at this time what caused an explosion."

The armored container exploded at about 7:40 p.m.

The blast was so strong it destroyed the container and damaged several cars park along the street.

Mayor Eric Garcetti tweeted that he was "closely monitoring the situation" and is "deeply concerned for those who were injured."

Police officers and the Crisis Response Team continue to survey the neighborhood for more injuries and make sure the area is safe, according to Garcetti.

Kenneth Mejia, a candidate for city controller in the 2022 election, called for "an independent auditor to conduct the investigation on why this happened."

"As City Controller, we'd do that and work with experts to get down to what happened and how much money this will cost our city," Mejia tweeted. "There needs to be accountability."

The fireworks had been seized from the home of a 24-year-old man in the 2700 block of East 27th Street, near San Pedro Street, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. It was not immediately clear what led up to his arrest and the discovery of the trove of fireworks.

The suspect's name was not released.

City News Service contributed to this report.