Three Injured in Van Nuys Apartment Explosion

A minor blast at a Van Nuys apartment complex injured three people on the morning of October 29. The Los Angeles Fire Department responded shortly before 10 a.m. to the building at 14540 Hartland Street, near Vesper Avenue and west of Van Nuys Boulevard. At least two people were taken to a hospital; their conditions were not known that morning.

The blast happened while work was underway in a bathroom, fire officials said. They described a flash but did not identify what caused it or specify whether those injured were workers or tenants. The damage was limited to a small corner of the apartment, according to the fire department.

Images from the scene showed debris on the ground floor and an open first-floor window, with items apparently blown outside. Other employees were evacuated from the building. Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety officials were called to the scene, and the fire department’s Urban Search and Rescue and hazardous materials teams were on their way.