SYLMAR - A "thunderous explosion" that ripped the roof from a Sylmar business and sent three men to the hospital, remains under investigation by local and State authorities.

A flurry of 9-1-1 calls reporting the explosion commenced at 4:20PM on Tuesday, August 9, 2011, bringing dozens of Los Angeles Fire Department personnel to a normally quiet foothill industrial park at 12349 Gladstone Avenue in the northeast San Fernando Valley.

Arriving quickly, firefighters found missing doors, buckled masonry walls, widely scattered debris and large portions of the roof blown over the parapets of a 50' x 150' section of a 7,400 square-foot one-and-two story building. There was however, no evidence of fire. With paper debris still floating in the air, LAFD crews developed a perimeter for bystander exclusion as they established a command post uphill and upwind of the incident.


Swiftly surveying the scene, firefighters quickly came to the aid of two critically injured men who had apparently been blown from the cinder-block building by the force of the explosion. With early reports of additional victims, an unknown cause - and others who may have been missing, neighborhood firefighters were soon joined by more than one hundred colleagues, including LAFD Hazardous Material and Urban Search & Rescue experts, in a detailed search for the cause and effect of the blast, which was heard and felt over a one-mile area.

The two badly injured men were rushed to trauma centers by LAFD Paramedics, as a methodical examination of the premises found no trapped or missing persons. More than 15 minutes after the search concluded, a man walked up to the command post seeking medical care for unspecified injury from the blast. He was taken in good condition by LAFD ambulance to a nearby hospital for further evaluation.

An estimate of monetary loss to the heavily damaged business, described only as an "alternative fuel and green energy firm", was still being tabulated early Wednesday.

Though the enterprise reportedly used pressure vessels and was involved in the "extraction of hydrogen from water", the specific cause of the explosion remains under active investigation by the Los Angeles Fire Department Arson/Counter-Terrorism Section and Cal/OSHA officials.


Dispatched Units: E98 RA898 RA98 E91 E275 T75 E24 E287 T87 BC12 E77 T98 E298 RA91 RA7 RA77 RA87 EM15 EM14 EM17 BC15 BC10 UR89 E89 T89 E289 UR88 E88 T88 E288 RA889 DC3 E87 SQ87 AR2 AR23 RA75 E39 EL83 AR3 AR10 BC10 EM15

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Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - 'Thunderous Explosion' in Sylmar Sends Three Men to Hospital

PACOIMA - A woman was found dead in a quickly extinguished house fire in Pacoima, but not before a passerby who attempted to fight the flames sustained injury.

The Los Angeles Fire Department was called at 3:58 PM on Wednesday, July 13, 2011 to 11666 Bromont Avenue in Pacoima, where they found smoke showing from the front window of one story home that neighbors describe as being recently vacated.

The first of thirty-four firefighters dispatched to the scene extended a hoseline into a front room of the 1,158 square-foot building, extinguishing the fire in moments - only to discover a severely burned adult female. Beyond medical help, she was declared dead at the scene.

 
LAFD Paramedics then turned their attention to the on-site treatment of an adult male, believed to have been a passerby, who sustained a cut to his hand when he broke a window in an unsuccessful attempt to use a garden hose in battling the flames. No other injuries were reported.

The presence or functional status of smoke alarms within the residence could not be immediately ascertained. Monetary loss from the blaze, which caused minimal damage to the 47-year old non-fire sprinklered home, is still being tabulated.

A positive identification of the dead woman, as well as the precise cause, time and manner of her death, will be determined the Los Angeles County Department of Coroner.

The cause of the fire remains the focus of a joint investigation by Los Angeles Fire and Police Department Investigators.

Dispatched Units: E298 E98 T98 RA898 RA98 E91 E7 EM15 BC12 E77 AR2 AR9 AR11

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Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - Woman Found Dead, Man Injured in Pacoima House Fire

On Monday, August 23, 2010 at 3:46 PM, 7 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 5 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, 1 Hazardous Materials Team, 1 EMS Battalion Captain, 1 Battalion Chief Officer Command Team and 1 Division Chief Officer Command Team, a total of 54 Los Angeles Fire Department personnel under the direction of Battalion Chief John Duca, responded to a Hazardous Materials Investigation at 8916 Willis Avenue in Panorama City.

Los Angeles Firefighters, dispatched to an odor investigation, arrived quickly at a three story garden-style apartment building to learn of an irritating odor in or near a 3rd floor unit undergoing renovation.

With three persons from the premises initially complaining of respiratory irritation, first arriving crews immediately extracted and isolated the ill, while summoning an LAFD Hazardous Materials response.

Occupants of the 64-unit building were calmly led upwind to fresh air in a well-coordinated fashion that kept them safe yet separate from those who exhibited minor illness following possible fume exposure.

With a Command Post and perimeter established and key building systems secured, LAFD HazMat experts donned protective gear as their colleagues commenced a detailed medical assessment of all five residents now complaining of respiratory irritation.

A comprehensive sweep of the 42,000 square-foot building with sophisticated sensing devices yielded no immediate or escalating hazard.

Following exposure to fresh air and the brief use of medical oxygen, the symptoms experienced by all five residents soon subsided, and each declined offered medical treatment and transportation.

No other illness or injuries were reported.

Though the odor dissipated and its source was undetermined, LAFD responders surmise it may have been related to aerosol insecticide or oven cleaner being used in the apartment undergoing renovation.

At the conclusion of Los Angeles Fire Department operations, residents were allowed to return to their apartments. Pursuant of protocol, the scene was turned over to officials from the Health Hazardous Materials Division of the Los Angeles County Fire Department.


Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - Odor in Panorama City Apartment Brings LAFD HazMat Response

On Saturday, July 10, 2010 at 11:45 AM, 2 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 1 LAFD Rescue Ambulance, 1 Arson Unit, under the direction of Battalion Chief John Duca responded to a Auto Fire / Civilian Fatality, WestBound 118 Freeway At the Golden State Freeway in San Fernando.

Responding to reports of an automobile on fire, firefighters arrived on scene to discover a vehicle off the left shoulder of the freeway engulfed in flames. Apparently just minutes before the incident, individuals attempted to alert the driver, who was still in motion on the freeway, that the rear of the automobile was on fire. The driver continued for some distance before colliding into the median, pinning the driver’s side door.

Civilians on scene attempted to rescue the individual, but the flames proved to be too intense. Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire, but were unable to rescue the 46 year old male victim, who was later declared deceased at the scene. There is no clear evidence as to what caused the vehicle to catch fire or the condition of its driver prior to this incident.

A positive identification of the deceased man as well as the exact cause, time and manner of death will be determined by L. A. County Coroner Officials. This incident will continue to be an active investigation by the California Highway Patrol.

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Submitted by Devin Gales, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - Automobile Fire Claims The Life Of A Man

On Wednesday, April 21, 2010 at 10:18 PM, 5 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 3 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, 5 Arson Units, 1 EMS Battalion Captain, 1 Battalion Chief Officer Command Team, 1 Division Chief Officer Command Team, under the direction of Battalion Chief Dennis Waters responded to a Structure Fire With Civilian Fatality at 10609 N Halbrent Ave in City of San Fernando.
Firefighters arrived quickly to discover fire showing from the rear of a one-story single family home. As fire personnel made forcible entry, they encountered heavy smoke and flames before extinguishing the blaze in less than 10 minutes.

During their attack, firefighters discovered an 82 year-old male and 79 year-old female, down in separate locations in the home. Both occupants were rescued out of the smoke filled structure without any visible signs of life. The victims were immediately treated and transported in critical condition to Holy Cross hospital, sadly both patients were beyond help and were pronounced dead shortly after arriving.

The home was not equipped with legally required smoke alarms, nor a carbon monoxide detector or residential fire sprinklers. There were no security doors, window bars or obvious non-fire factors to impede the victims from exiting the home.

The blaze was extinguished by 41 Firefighters in less than 10 minutes and the cause is under investigation by LAFD Arson Investigators and the Los Angeles Police Department. Monetary loss from the fire is estimated at $150,000 ($100,000 structure & $50,000 contents).

Submitted by Devin Gales, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - Fire Claims The Life of Two Souls

On Wednesday, April 29, 2009 at 6:40 PM, 10 Companies of Los Angeles Firefighters, 6 LAFD Rescue Ambulances, 1 Heavy Rescue, 2 Urban Search and Rescue Units, 1 Rehab Unit, 1 EMS Battalion Captain, 2 Battalion Chief Officer Command Teams, 1 Division Chief Officer Command Team, Emergency Lighting, DOT, Street Maintenance and a Cal OSHA Inspector, under the direction of Assistant Chief Greg West, responded to a TRENCH RESCUE at 15839 W. Larkspur St. in the Sylmar area.

Firefighters responded to a reported trench collapse and rescue. Firefighters arrived on scene and found a 40 foot long trench, 4 foot wide by 8 foot deep, with 2 workers trapped. One worker was trapped with debris and dirt to his thighs, while the second worker was trapped almost to the chest. An additional USAR company was added to the assignment. One major concern of the IC, was a 12 foot long section of concrete curbing needing stabilization, to not cause additional injury to the patient.

18 minutes into the incident, one worker self extricated with the aid of a shovel provided by Task Force 98 in coordination with the stabilization of the trench walls. The male worker, approximately 63, was assessed with no complaint of injury and transported to an area hospital. With the use of hand tools and a vacuum truck, the debris was removed slowly by the USAR Firefighters. Two hours, 15 minutes into the incident, the second worker was finally extricated from the trench. He was assessed, treated and prepped for transport to an area hospital.


It took 81 Firefighters and Specialty companies 4 hours and 20 minutes to complete the incident. The workers were working on the sewer line at the curbline, in front of the single family dwelling.

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Submitted by d'Lisa Davies
Los Angeles Fire Department

READ MORE - Workers Extricated From Collapsed Trench in Sylmar