On Saturday, May 13, 2006 at 7:06 a.m., four Companies of Los Angeles firefighters, two LAFD rescue ambulances, one urban search and rescue unit, one EMS battalion captain and one battalion chief officer command team, under the direction of Battalion Chief Patrick Butler responded to a reported explosion at 13740 West Vanowen Street in Van Nuys.
First units on the scene reported a three-story garden style apartment building with two floors of apartments over garages and occupants of the building indicating that an explosion had occurred in one unit on the top floor.
Further investigation by firefighters revealed that four “bug bombs” that were being used to exterminate pests in the unit had exploded. The force of the explosion compromised the walls and roof of the unit and slightly damaged two adjacent apartments and a vacant unit below the apartment where the explosion occurred.
The incident commander immediately requested an LAFD urban search and rescue team and inspectors from the city’s department of building and safety to respond to the scene to evaluate the stability of the structure.
The Southern California Gas Company was also requested due to the magnitude of the explosion and to assist with any natural gas problems that may have resulted from the explosion.
After a thorough assessment by the department of building and safety and the LAFD urban search and rescue team, it was determined that only the unit where the explosion had occurred was unsafe to occupy and was subsequently ‘Red Tagged’ as unfir for occupancy.
Approximately 19 occupants were initially evacuated from the building as a safety precaution, but, only the three occupants of the involved unit were displaced and assisted by the American Red Cross with placement.
The remaining occupants were allowed to return to their apartments after it was determined that the other units had not been compromised by the explosion.
There was no fire or injuries and the precise cause of the explosion remains under investigation.