Multiple homes burn, 1 dead in California's Pacoima fireworks explosion

Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times on Jul 4, 2025

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LOS ANGELES — Amid exploding fireworks, more than 130 firefighters battled a fire that engulfed four homes in Pacoima on Thursday night, authorities said.

On Friday morning, officials said one person was found dead.

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 firefighters' arrival, exposing surrounding homes and brush to the danger of ignition.

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.

At 9:30 p.m. the Fire Department declared the blaze a "major emergency" 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.

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 epdartment. Several animals were reportedly injured in the blaze, and a 68-year-old woman declined transportation to a hospital for smoke inhalation injuries.

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 first three homes that caught fire, according to the LAFD.

The Fire Department's arson and and hazmat teams were dispatched to the incident, as was the L.A. Police Department's bomb squad. The Mayor's Crisis Team was sent to the extinguished fire to provide counseling and resources to affected residents.

The fire left neighbors stunned.

"I 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," a resident told KABC-TV. "It felt like an explosion... the fireworks started going off and sooner or later all these fires started coming."

Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez said on Facebook that the fire " is a reminder that the selfish and thoughtless use of fireworks are not harmless, they can be deadly and cause irreparable harm."

Animal Control was requested to respond to the incident. The American Red Cross and the L.A. Department of Building and Safety are also being tapped to assist in the aftermath of the blaze.

The fireworks explosions were among several similar incidents reported across the state in the run-up to the Fourth of July.

A Thursday morning detonation killed one person in a Simi Valley home, and a similar incident critically injured two people in a Bay Area residence where officials suspect fireworks were being manufactured

In addition, seven workers remain missing after a massive explosion engulfed a warehouse holding fireworks in Esparto, a rural area outside Sacramento, on Tuesday night.

At a press conference Thursday, Yolo County Undersheriff Matt Davis asked for patience as authorities are working to get the families of the missing answers about their loved ones.

"It's important that we operate safely, carefully and securely and in a dignified manner that respects all involved," Davis said. "We cannot move forward until the scene is safe, and I have full confidence that the public safety individuals who are working to do that are doing everything they can and with the urgency that is necessary right now."

The pyrotechnics business that operated at the site confirmed that an unspecified number of its employees were "lost" when the warehouse blew up, triggering a days-long evacuation for nearby communities.

On Wednesday evening, Devastating Pyrotechnics released a statement saying seven of its workers were "unaccounted for" at its warehouse in Esparto, about 40 miles northwest of Sacramento.

Fire officials were investigating the Pacoima incident Friday.

The LAFD released messages earlier this week reminding residents that all fireworks are illegal in the city of L.A. and urging people to refrain from hosting personal fireworks displays to celebrate the holiday.

"If you are storing or considering using fireworks this weekend, we beg you to reconsider and attend a professional show," the department posted on X following Thursday night's fire in Pacoima. "The most immediate way to render your fireworks inert is to soak them in water. Please step up and take care of your loved ones, pets, and neighbors."