Explosion rocks downtown LA building, no major injuries reported

An explosion shook the basement of a Los Angeles high-rise on Thursday, leaving two people hospitalized, authorities said.

The explosion happened around 10:10 p.m.in a 19-story commercial building in the 800 block of West Wilshire Boulevard near Flower Street.

He says a fire that broke out was quickly extinguished.

Four adults were evaluated for minor injuries, according to Sanders.

Paramedics transported a woman with a headache and a man with back pain in good condition for further evaluation.

Workers with the Department of Water and Power were dealing with water problems at the underground level, he said. The structure has been deemed temporarily unfit for occupancy until the restoration of electric service and fire safety systems, according to the LAFD release. “Though there was widespread damage, initial fears for the building’s structural integrity proved unfounded”.

Officials at the Staples Center say the explosion caused a momentary power outage at the arena, where a Shania Twain concert was underway.

However, the cause of the fire remains under investigation.