A man was killed and a woman left in critical condition after a fireworks explosion set multiple homes on fire in Pacoima Thursday night, drawing over 100 firefighters to the scene to battle the flames.
The blaze was reported just after 9 p.m. in the 12900 block of W. Corcoran Street, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
“This structure fire was also involving a significant amount of fireworks that were being stored there and these fireworks were raining all upon the neighborhood,” said David Ortiz, LAFD’s public information officer.
The department said three one-story homes were showing fire when LAFD personnel responded, and activated fireworks inside a detached garage exposed more homes and brush in the area.
“I felt almost like the impact, you feel it. And as soon as I heard that, I turned the street to see if anyone needed help and more fireworks started going off,” said one area resident. “It felt like an explosion…the fireworks started going off and sooner or later all these fires started coming.”
The LAFD said a 33-year-old woman was taken to the hospital in critical but stable condition, and four other people suffered smoke inhalation but declined transport to the hospital.
On Friday morning, the department confirmed that a man in his mid-30s died. Additional details about that victim were not available.
Additionally, several animals were reported injured.
LAFD HazMat and arson investigators, along with the LAPD Bomb Squad and the Mayor’s Crisis Team, responded to the scene.
It took more than 100 firefighters to knock down the blaze in 53 minutes, according to LAFD. A fourth home and a car were also damaged in the fire.
