An explosion that tore through a Bell Gardens apartment complex on Tuesday evening left one teenager dead and two others, including a child, injured. The blast, which occurred around 6:07 p.m. in a two-story building on the 6500 block of Purdy Avenue, resulted in significant damage, with a portion of the front missing and parts of the roof collapsed, as seen in video footage obtained by CBS Los Angeles.
The deceased, a 13-year-old boy, was found by firefighters within the complex after they extinguished the blaze nearly an hour later. A young boy and an adult man were also taken to the hospital. The boy was reported in stable condition by the Los Angeles County Fire Department, while the man suffered severe burns to 90% of his body and remains in critical condition. This information was corroborated by FOX LA, which detailed that multiple families, consisting of 17 adults and seven children, were displaced following the incident, and the building was red-tagged, indicating it was unsafe to occupy.
Investigators on the scene, including personnel from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Special Enforcement Bureau — Arson and Explosives Detail, discovered materials consistent with homemade explosives and fireworks. "It was an explosive made with some kind of powder device, not a gasoline or an oxygen-based thing, something basically like propel fireworks," said Lt. Michael Modica from the LASD in a statement shared by CBS Los Angeles. He added that the repercussions for possessing explosive devices could be severe, whether misdemeanor or felony.
Rebecca Mena, a neighbor, described the unit where the explosion occurred as a location known for making homemade fireworks, according to an interview with ABC7. "During their initial investigation and processing of the scene, they observed materials consistent with homemade explosives and fireworks," said the sheriff's department. Suva Intermediate School, where the deceased teen was a student, issued a statement, saying, "We are aware of a recent tragic incident that occurred in the Bell Gardens community that has impacted our school community. Our thoughts are with all those affected during this difficult time," as reported by FOX LA.
The incident is being handled as a death investigation by the Sheriff's Department, which has encouraged anyone with information to come forward. Meanwhile, the American Red Cross has been working to provide temporary housing to the displaced families, their situation demonstrating the harsh, sudden transitions that tragedy can impose on any life, without warning. The investigation remains ongoing as community members and emergency responders sift through the aftermath of a night that has profoundly shaken the neighborhood in Bell Gardens.
