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Council honors firefighters and police for coordinated response to Pacoima home explosion
Summary
Councilmember Monica Rodriguez recognized LA Fire and LAPD teams for a multi-agency response that rescued a seriously injured resident and animals, evacuated about 60 homes and safely disposed of explosive materials following a March Pacoima house explosion.
Councilmember Monica Rodriguez on Wednesday recognized Los Angeles Fire Department and Los Angeles Police Department personnel for their coordinated response to an explosion at a Pacoima home in March that involved homemade pyrotechnics and created a volatile neighborhood hazard.
"What they did was nothing short of extraordinary," Rodriguez said, recounting the March 20 incident in which a man suffered critical burns and firefighters discovered large quantities of fireworks material inside the house. Rodriguez credited LAFD, LAPD bomb technicians, arson investigators, urban search-and-rescue and other city departments with “seamless collaboration” that prevented additional injuries or structural losses.
Deputy Chief Jamie Moore of the Los Angeles Fire Department said the operation saved the injured resident and rescued four animals, and that specialized units coordinated a three-day effort to secure and safely dispose of explosive materials. "We were able to burn the structure, consume all of those explosives without causing any additional damage," Moore said.
Chief Kowalski (LAPD) described the operation as methodical and noted that federal partners were consulted during the response; he said the incident will be used as a best-practice example. The emergency response included evacuating about 60 homes, applying thermal gel to nearby structures, erecting barricades, sheltering displaced residents with assistance from the Red Cross and local nonprofits, and coordinating utility and street services.
Rodriguez also publicly thanked named members of LAPD’s Foothill Division, emergency services and major crimes units, as well as numerous LAFD personnel and other city staff who worked on the incident. She singled out her field deputy and other district staff for community outreach that kept neighbors informed during the evacuation.
The council’s presentation did not seek action; it served to publicly commend first responders and city staff for their multiagency work that minimized harm to the Pacoima neighborhood.
