One man died and another was critically injured Friday in a South Los Angeles industrial workplace explosion which apparently was caused by illegal tampering with a gas line.
Southern California Gas Company had shut off the gas Thursday because the metal-painting company that occupied the building, JL Spray, had not paid its bills, according to the Associated Press. To get their gas — and their business — going, someone had rerouted a pipe around the meter and a regulator that keeps gas at safe levels, the gas company said.
When the gas built up, the building exploded. The blast was so forceful it shattered windows in cars and on a nearby warehouse. Pieces of the melted asphalt roof spewed into the street as shards of exploded tile sprayed the street and nearby businesses. As the building erupted and burst into flames, a man who worked there was hurled out into the street. He suffered severe burn injuries. Paramedics thought he was dead because he had no pulse, but he was later revived and was in critical condition Friday afternoon.
Another man tried to get his truck away from the building, but a high-voltage power pole that had been damaged by the explosion fell on his vehicle and electrocuted him. He died at the scene.
The victims’ names had not been released as of Friday evening.
The trial attorneys at Blackman Legal Group, a California-based law firm founded by renowned trial attorney Clifford Blackman, have been representing injury victims since 1976, and have special expertise in cases involving burn injury and wrongful death. The nationwide toll-free number to call for a free consultation is 1-866-692-8126.
San Francisco Burn Injury Lawyers | San Bruno Fire - Gas Main Explosion Kills 4
Tags: Blackman Legal Group, fatal accident, gas explosion, severe burn injury, workplace fatality, wrongful death
