Los Angeles, California – The Los Angeles Fire Department announced that the most severely injured firefighter in the Wilmington explosion has been extubated after the incident left nine firefighters injured. This development marks the beginning of a lengthy recovery process. According to a tweet from LAFD Capt. Erik Scott, the firefighter is awake, alert, and talking, with the next steps in the recovery process being to introduce food as tolerated.
The incident occurred when a compressed natural gas tank on a burning truck exploded, causing injuries to the responding firefighters. One of the firefighters who was also critically injured was discharged from the hospital on Friday night and is now resting at home. The other seven firefighters will remain off duty and have various medical appointments, according to Scott.
The powerful explosion occurred at about 7 a.m. in the 1100 block of North Alameda Street, sending a fireball into the air. Firefighters initially responded to the location near a truck yard next to a residential neighborhood after a call about the truck fire.
Two of the nine firefighters remain hospitalized, with two 100-gallon compressed natural gas tanks on the truck. Firefighters remained at the scene to release gas from the second tank on the burned-out truck. Other individuals at the scene were also being assessed for injuries. The extubation of the most severely injured firefighter is a positive development in the midst of this tragic incident.
As the recovery process continues for the injured firefighters, the LAFD will provide updates on their progress, as well as any additional information about the incident and its aftermath. The Wilmington explosion serves as a reminder of the risks and sacrifices that firefighters make in the line of duty, and emphasizes the importance of safety measures and support for first responders.