Los Angeles: A firefighter investigating an explosion that blew manhole covers off an underground electrical vault was killed when a second blast hurled more of them, one of which apparently struck him, authorities said.
They also hit another firefighter, who was being treated for a fracture to his ankle and arm, authorities said today. A bystander suffered minor injuries in the explosions on a busy commercial strip.
The other firefighter was pronounced dead after being taken to a hospital, Fire Chief Douglas Barry said.
When the firefighters arrived at around 2 pm, they saw smoke coming from several manholes that cover an underground electrical vault, Deputy Fire Chief Mario Rueda said.
Two covers were off when they arrived at a two-story building near Los Angeles International Airport. They saw smoke coming from the back of the building and, when they approached, another blast blew the covers off, he said.
"It appeared to be at least electrical in nature because of the substations that are underneath Sepulveda (Boulevard), but we don't have a cause of the explosion at this point," Rueda said, adding, there was "no indication, no evidence, that natural gas was involved."
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