LOS ANGELES, California – A truck fire in the Wilmington area of Los Angeles resulted in a powerful explosion Thursday morning, injuring nine firefighters. The incident occurred on North Alameda Street, where the firefighters were responding to the initial call about the truck fire near a residential neighborhood and a truck yard.
The explosion, caused by a compressed natural gas tank, sent a fireball into the air, injuring the firefighters who were putting out the fire. The truck, which was propelled by compressed natural gas, had two 100-gallon tanks, one of which exploded. Security camera footage captured the fireball rising into the sky over the South Bay community.
The injured firefighters were taken to nearby medical centers, with at least two in critical condition. They were being assessed for injuries at the scene. Molly R. Deane, speaking on behalf of Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, expressed amazement that the injuries weren’t more severe after viewing footage of the explosion.
Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley assured that one of the critically injured firefighters was stable and would remain at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center for further observation, while the other was transferred to Los Angeles General Medical Center for treatment at a burn unit. The truck driver, who was unharmed, had noticed something wrong with the truck and called 911.
Compressed natural gas (CNG) is stored in hard pressurized containers and is composed mainly of methane. It powers vehicles with spark-ignited internal combustion engines, similar to gasoline-powered vehicles. CNG vehicles store the fuel in cylinders, supplying it to fuel lines and eventually into a combustion chamber.
The explosion left debris scattered in the street, and firefighters remained at the scene to release gas from the second tank on the burned-out truck. The incident was a stark reminder of the dangers that firefighters face in the line of duty and the risks posed by alternative fuel sources for vehicles.