Los Angeles once again mourns the loss of one of its bravest after yesterday afternoon's explosion on Sepulveda Blvd. near LAX. Firefighter Brent A. Lovrien, age 35, was a 10 year veteran of the LAFD assigned to Fire Station 95 since October 2005. He died shortly after arrival at the Centinela Freeman Regional Medical Center, Marina Campus.
LAFD Spokesman Brian Humphrey breaks down the incident at the department's blog:
On Wednesday, March 26, 2008 at 1:57 PM Los Angeles Firefighters were summoned to investigate smoke in the 8800 block of South Sepulveda Boulevard in the Westchester area of Los Angeles - not far from Los Angeles International Airport.
At approximately 2:20 PM, an explosion occurred at a nearby building, causing injury to two Firefighters and one civilian.
LAFD Engineer Anthony J. Guzman, a 48-year-old 18 year veteran of the LAFD, also assigned to Fire Station 95, suffered multiple fractures and facial trauma and was transported to the UCLA Medical Center in Westwood, where he remained in serious but stable condition following surgery. The injured civilian was reported to be treated and released at the scene.The investigation into the incident is looking into the possibility of a
power saw as the ignition cause of the blast. People in the area reported smelling gas before the explosion and say they saw firefighters take a power saw out and when they turned it on. "As soon he turned it on and put it by the door, that was when the explosion occurred," a witness told the LA Times. However, investigators are considering around six theories from the saw to electrical problems to methane gas as causes.
"The LAPD knows all too well the pain and sadness that accompany a loss of this nature," an entry on the police department's blog reads. "Our hearts are with the LAFD now and always." Most recently, the LAPD lost Randal Simmons of the SWAT team. Earlier this year, an underground explosion injured an officer and a patrol car in downtown.
Memorial information for Lovrien has not been announced yet, but will published here when it does.
