L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn announced Wednesday the successful removal of 75 tons of illegal fireworks from a warehouse in the City of Commerce, thanks to a joint effort by the EPA, Cal Fire and the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
“These fireworks were a disaster waiting to happen and needed to be dealt with immediately before someone got hurt,” Hahn said in a statement. “I appreciate both the EPA and Cal Fire for hearing my and Chief [Anthony] Marrone’s concerns and acting as quickly as they could. This was a challenging situation, and it took coordination across all levels of government to solve.”
The illegal fireworks were discovered in late May during a raid conducted by Cal Fire and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Classified as hazardous materials, the fireworks were outside the authority of the L.A. County Fire Department to remove. Hahn and L.A. County Fire Chief Daryl Marrone raised alarms when they learned in mid-July that the fireworks would not be moved until mid to late August.
On July 16, Hahn and Marrone wrote to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin requesting expedited removal. Over several days, the EPA moved the materials to a safer location for destruction.
This removal comes amid a spate of illegal fireworks incidents throughout Southern California, highlighting ongoing safety risks.
On July 7, a fireworks explosion and resulting fires in Pacoima destroyed four homes and claimed the life of a 30-year-old man. Several others suffered injuries from burns and smoke inhalation.
Earlier this month in Buena Park, an illegal fireworks display misfired and exploded near a home, critically injuring 8-year-old Jasmine Nguyen, who later died. A man has been arrested in connection with the incident.
San Bernardino County deputies confiscated 900 pounds of illegal fireworks during Fourth of July enforcement operations targeting multiple communities.
Authorities continue to warn the public about the risks posed by illegal and improperly handled fireworks. Officials urge residents to avoid using fireworks outside of legal parameters and to report suspicious activity to prevent further injuries and property damage.
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