People hurled into street when explosion blows out front of LA commercial building

LA building explosion hurls people into street

LOS ANGELES — Fire officials say a suspected natural gas explosion rocked a large South Los Angeles commercial building and hurled people into the street, wedging at least one man beneath a parked car.

Fire Capt. Steve Ruda says the violent explosion shook the two-story building housing a welding operation at 6:15 a.m. Friday and much of the structure collapsed. There were victims in the street when 100 firefighters arrived.

The explosion blew three people into the street. At least one person was pinned under the axle of a car.

They are hospitalized in unknown condition.

The fire was extinguished in 25 minutes and teams were searching the collapsed structure for possible victims. Ruda says search dogs were being sent in because the splintered wreckage of the building posed a danger to firefighters.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Fire officials say a natural gas explosion in a large South Los Angeles commercial building has hurled people into the street, wedging some beneath parked cars.

Fire Capt. Steve Ruda says a violent explosion shook the two-story building housing a welding operation at 6:15 a.m. Friday and the front of the structure collapsed. There were victims in the street when 100 firefighters arrived.

The explosion blew three people into the street.

Ruda told KNX news radio that people were hurled out of the building and were wedged under parked cars when firefighters arrived.

They are hospitalized in unknown condition.

The fire was extinguished in 25 minutes and the department’s urban search and rescue team was called in to search the collapsed structure for possible victims.