A massive explosion involving a pressurized cylinder on a semitruck in Wilmington on Thursday morning left seven firefighters injured, including two who were critically hurt, officials said.
The incident occurred shortly before 7 a.m. in the area of Alameda Street and Henry Ford Avenue, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
Twelve firefighters "responded to a truck with pressurized cylinders on fire," the agency said in a statement. The blast happened six minutes after they arrived.
Several firefighters were immediately rushed to Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and others were initially evaluated at the scene before they too were hospitalized. The whereabouts and condition of the truck driver were unknown.
Video from AIR7 HD showed the charred wreckage of the burned semitruck, which had no trailer attached.