Los Angeles, California – The Los Angeles Fire Department has reported that one of the firefighters injured in the recent explosion in Wilmington has successfully been removed from a ventilator, a promising sign for the lengthy road to recovery ahead.
The firefighter is said to be awake, alert, and talking, according to a tweet from LAFD Capt. Erik Scott. The next steps in the recovery process will involve introducing food as the firefighter is able to tolerate it.
In total, nine firefighters were injured when a compressed natural gas tank on a burning truck exploded on a street in Wilmington. The explosion, which occurred at about 7 a.m., sent a fireball into the air and resulted in critical injuries for some of the responders.
Following the incident, two of the injured firefighters remain hospitalized, while another critical injury victim has been discharged from the hospital and is resting at home. The rest of the firefighters are off duty and will be attending various medical appointments in the coming days.
The explosion took place near a truck yard next to a residential neighborhood, and two 100-gallon compressed natural gas tanks on the truck added to the intensity of the blaze. Firefighters are still working to release gas from the second tank on the burned-out truck, marking the extensive cleanup and recovery process after the harrowing incident.
As the injured firefighters continue down the path to recovery and the investigation into the explosion progresses, the community and the Los Angeles Fire Department are rallying behind these brave responders, offering support and well wishes during this challenging time.