Amid exploding fireworks, more than 130 firefighters battled a fire that engulfed four homes in Pacoima on Thursday night, authorities said.<\/p>\n
On Friday morning, officials said one person was found dead.<\/p>\n
The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to three burning one-story homes in the area of 12933 W. Corcoran St. around 9 p.m. Fireworks were exploding upon arrival, exposing surrounding homes and brush to the danger of ignition.<\/p>\n
Fire crews began attacking the blaze in a defensive mode, stationed from a safe distance to prioritize the safety of the crew from the possibility of additional explosions, according to the LAFD. <\/p>\n
At 9:30 p.m. the Fire Department declared the blaze a \u201cmajor emergency\u201d and said that a 33-year-old woman was transported to a hospital in critical condition. An injured dog was also taken to an emergency veterinary hospital.<\/p>\n
Fire crews knocked down the fire at 10 p.m., by which point it had spread to a fourth home and a car, according to the Fire Department. Several animals were reportedly injured in the blaze, and a 68-year-old woman declined transportation to a hospital for smoke inhalation injuries.<\/p>\n
A gas company has been requested to respond to a gas leak at one of the homes, while the L.A. Department of Water and Power has been requested to manage downed wires along the back of the initial three homes that caught fire, according to the LAFD.<\/p>\n
The Fire Department\u2019s arson and and hazmat teams were dispatched to the incident, as was the L.A. Police Department\u2019s bomb squad. The Mayor\u2019s Crisis Team was sent to the extinguished fire to provide counseling and resources to affected residents. <\/p>\n
The fire left neighors stunned.<\/p>\n
\u201cI felt almost like the impact, you feel it. And as soon as I heard that, I turned the street to see if anyone needed help and more fireworks started going off,\u201d said resident told KABC-TV. \u201c<\/a>It felt like an explosion…the fireworks started going off and sooner or later all these fires started coming.\u201d<\/p>\n Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez said on Facebook that the fire \u201c is a reminder that the selfish and thoughtless use of fireworks are not harmless, they can be deadly and cause irreparable harm.\u201d<\/p>\n Animal Control was requested to respond to the incident. The Red Cross and the L.A. Department of Building and Safety are also being tapped to assist in the aftermath of the blaze. <\/p>\n The fireworks explosions were among several similar incidents reported across the state in the run-up to the Fourth of July.<\/p>\n