Magnesium-fueled fire near Los Angeles causes explosions, power outages

The scene early Tuesday morning during a magnesium fueled explosion.

Inspector Randall Wright from the County Fire Department told KTLA emergency workers couldn’t intervene because of the way magnesium “violently” reacts to water.

Crews doused flames with water, but oxygen from the water created a chemical reaction with burning magnesium, which caused several fireball explosions to occur.

Authorities said Wednesday they plan to allow the magnesium to be consumed until they can obtain enough of a special substance used to snuff out magnesium fires.

L.A. County fire Deputy Chief John B. Tripp speaks at a news conference in Maywood on June 14, 2016.

Aside from the evacuations in the immediate area of the fire, the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) has also issued a smoke advisory, valid through the end of Wednesday.

– More than 75 firefighters battled an explosive 3-alarm fire at a Maywood warehouse Tueday, a blaze that led to a power outage in the area.

“In areas affected by odors, residents should follow common-sense measures and avoid vigorous exercise outdoors if they experience respiratory or eye irritation due to smoke or odors”, the advisory stated.

He said the evacuations weren’t made for fear of people’s health – officials believed their houses would be consumed.

The fire was reported around 2:30 a.m.at a plastics business in the 3700 block of Fruitland Avenue, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department. About 140 of the initial 300 residents evacuated have not yet returned home, with many taking shelter at the Maywood YMCA, CBS2 reported.

The county fire department is also testing the air at the fire site and surrounding neighborhoods, Lozono said.

“Hazardous materials are heavily regulated”, Tripp said.