One person was in critical condition, and rescuers were left searching for trapped pets after a fireworks explosion flattened part of a home in the Pacoima neighborhood of Los Angeles Thursday morning.
Emergency crews were sent to the 13500 block of Remington Street when the incident was reported around 9 a.m.
“Initial reports from the scene indicate an explosion in a single-family dwelling,” Los Angeles Fire Department spokesperson Lyndsey Lantz said in a breaking news alert.
Los Angeles Police Department officials later confirmed that fireworks were being made at the home and caused the devastation.
One patient, identified only as a 24-year-old man, was in critical condition with burn injuries, police said. Officials believe he suffered first-degree burns to at least 50% of his body.
It was unclear if the man was a resident or visitor at the home or if he was making fireworks for personal use or sale.
Ring video from another block captured the moment the home exploded. Debris from the home’s roof can be seen flying through the air.
Crews also identified several dogs trapped in the partially collapsed home. Family members at the scene reported a total of four dogs potentially inside.
Three of the dogs had been found and were safe outside while one dog was still awaiting rescue, the Fire Department stated in an update.
The blast prompted “LAFD HazMat, LAFD Arson, LAPD Bomb Squad, LAPD Major Crimes, LA Building and Safety, DOT, DWP, and SoCal Gas” teams to be sent to the scene, the Lantz said.
The bomb squad requested all apparatus be moved at least 300 feet away from the home as the scene remained active shortly before 11 a.m.
Neighbors told KTLA they often heard fireworks being set off at the home.