Pacoima evacuated residents to return Saturday evening after controlled burn
Fire officials said the 60 residents who were evacuated after a Pacoima house explosion, will be allowed to return home at 5 p.m. on Saturday, as the area has been deemed safe.
Investigators were waiting Saturday morning to get into an explosion site to render it safe, before allowing evacuated residents to return.
Federal, county and city agencies worked together to deal with safety, environmental and potentially criminal issues, emanating from a home explosion, allegedly linked to homemade fireworks.
A massive explosion rocked the neighborhood Thursday morning in the 13000 block of West Remington Street, leaving a 24-year-old man in the home seriously injured.
Firefighters responded around 9 a.m., and the fire at the destroyed home was out about a half hour later, with a bomb squad investigation underway. Explosives and firework-making materials were found amid the rubble.
"This house is essentially a bomb," ATF Special Agent in Charge Kenneth Cooper said. This led to the evacuation order of 60 residences, because of the volatility of the remaining explosive material.
Friday night, bomb disposal teams decided to set fire to the house at the center of the explosion site as well as the remaining volatile materials inside. To protect the surrounding neighborhood, firefighters covered nearby buildings with thermal gel and put up a metal mesh fence to prevent projectiles from flying out.
"We are basically notifying the public to render this explosive device safe; we are going to use fire in a slow, methodic burn to alleviate that threat," Cooper said.
During a Saturday news conference, LAFD Assistant Chief, Guy Tomlinson addressed the controlled burn, which led to some explosions.
"We did introduce fire with the bomb squad, that fire resulted in an explosion, which you guys all saw on the news last night, but it was very controlled …," he said.
There was one spot fire from the initial explosion from the controlled burn and Tomlinson said "That was no factor, no threat to any additional structures."
He said there were small explosions up to 2 a.m. Saturday, but none since then. Investigators are waiting for the structure to burn down, and fully burn out before entering.
"We've been monitoring the air all night long. The air since midnight has been in normal range," Tomlinson said. By Saturday afternoon he said the fire was out and all agencies, including the EPA confirmed the area was safe for residents to return.
Los Angeles Police Department Officer Jader Chaves, said Saturday morning that main goal now was to get residents back into their homes once the air quality is optimal and all explosive materials have been discovered, removed or detonated. "We are working with the EPA and the county hazmat agency in order to get that done."
The ATF is handling the investigation regarding the explosives and they will determine if any or what charges will be filed after their investigation is completed, Chaves said.
The man who was in the house at the time of the explosion remains in critical condition, according to police. Two people lived in the house.
Police said many evacuated residents have taken advantage of a nearby shelter site at the Ritchie Valens Recreation Center.
