Nine firefighters injured in explosion of a CNG-powered semi-truck in the Wilmington neighborhood in the South Bay and Harbor region of Los Angeles
Nine LAFD Firefighters were injured during an explosion, while responding to a vehicle fire in Wilmington. Two of the nine remain in critical condition. The clean-air CNG-powered semi truck (no trailer) contained two 100-gallon natural gas tanks, compressed to over 3,000 psi. Six minutes after firefighters arrived, one of the tanks exploded, causing severe injuries. One of the injured firefighters was air-lifted to a burn center for specialty care. Thankfully, the driver was well clear of the truck by the time of the blast, and found to be uninjured. We remind locals to stay clear of the scene, both motorists and pedestrians. There are currently no active evacuation orders, but an "exclusion zone" with a 500-foot radius has been established to isolate the scene and prevent further injury. The situation is currently static. This will be an extended operation in the area, and handled slowly, with extreme caution to ensure there is no possibility of escalating hazard. UNITS ASSI...