Gas explosion at Lake Elsinore Diamond burns two people
A gas explosion at a minor league baseball stadium in Lake Elsinore has burned at least two people.
According to the Riverside County/Cal Fire, the explosion happened at around 4:20 p.m. at the Lake Elsinore Diamond, home of the Lake Elsinore Storm, a Single-A minor league affiliate of the San Diego Padres.
The cause of the explosion has not yet been confirmed, but reports from the scene indicate that a natural gas line burst inside the home team's locker room, injuring two inside.
An airlift had initially been requested to take the two victims to a nearby hospital for treatment, but it was determined that it would be faster to transport them via ambulance.
Both victims, who suffered moderate injuries, are maintenance workers.
The team had a game scheduled with the Inland Empire 66ers at 7:15 p.m. It is unclear if there were fans in the stadium at the time of the explosion. The stadium was evacuated as a precaution.
Officials have confirmed with KCAL News that both Friday and Saturday's games have been postponed until further notice.
Due to an incident at the stadium, today and tomorrow’s game will be postponed until further notice. https://t.co/FEwlDiHGY7
— Lake Elsinore Storm Baseball (@Storm_Baseball) May 20, 2023
Lake Elsinore Diamond, commonly referred to by fans as Storm Stadium, holds 7,866 fans and is located at 500 Diamond Drive, just miles from the shoreline of Lake Elsinore.