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Council honors fire and police response after Pacoima explosion that damaged a home
Summary
The council recognized Los Angeles Fire Department, LAPD and multiple city agencies for their coordinated response to a March explosion in Pacoima tied to homemade pyrotechnics; responders evacuated about 60 homes, rescued an injured resident and animals, and conducted a controlled burn to remove hazardous materials.
Councilmember Monica Rodriguez (Seventh District) praised Los Angeles firefighters, LAPD, federal partners and multiple city departments for their response to a March 20 Pacoima house explosion during a presentation at the council meeting.
Rodriguez described the incident as "a very volatile situation" that required coordinated action among LAFD special operations, LAPD Bomb Squad, Urban Search and Rescue, hazmat teams, Building and Safety, sanitation, DWP, DOT and the gas company. "They resolved this volatile situation without further incident and without impact to the community," Rodriguez said.
Deputy Chief Jamie Moore of the Los Angeles Fire Department and Chief Kowalski both described the operation as methodical and collaborative. Moore said firefighters saved an injured man and rescued three of four dogs; when crews secured the collapsed structure, the fourth dog also was rescued. Because large quantities of pyrotechnic materials were found on the property, the teams undertook a controlled burn after preparing the area and applying protective measures to nearby homes.
Crews evacuated approximately 60 homes in the immediate area, Rodriguez said, and the Department of Recreation and Parks opened an interim shelter. The Red Cross and local nonprofit partners provided food and supplies; ICON CDC and the California Community Foundation provided gift cards to residents affected by the overnight evacuation.
Moore and Kowalski said federal partners were consulted and the operation took roughly three days from the initial response to safe mitigation of the explosives. The chiefs said their approach minimized additional risk to nearby structures and residents.
Rodriguez and council staff named and thanked numerous officers and firefighters by name for their roles, including Captain Marco Lozano of LAPD's Foothill Division. The council convened the recognition to highlight interagency cooperation and to thank first responders for preventing further harm during a hazardous and complex incident.
