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Downtown Explosion Damages Building, Ignites Small Blaze
A late-night explosion rocked the lobby of a 15-story building on WIlshire at Bixel, igniting a small blaze, according to KTLA. LAFD officials believe the 2:14 a.m. "blast may have been related to record-breaking electricity use during Monday's extreme heat wave."
The explosion originated from within an electrical vault located on the first floor of the Samaritan Medical Tower. The blast blew out the front door; most of the surveyed damage seems to be in the lobby. During yesterday's intense, record-breaking heat there had been several "localized blackouts" along Wilshire due to the strain on the area's electricity supply.
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
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