The tractor portion of a big rig, right, is shown in an aerial view on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, in the Wilmington section of Los Angeles. Several Los Angeles firefighters were injured, two critically, when an explosion occurred as they responded to a truck with pressurized cylinders that were on fire early Thursday, authorities said. (AP Photo/William Liang)The tractor portion of a big rig, bottom left, is shown in an aerial view on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, in the Wilmington section of Los Angeles. Several Los Angeles firefighters were injured, two critically, when an explosion occurred as they responded to a truck with pressurized cylinders that were on fire early Thursday, authorities said. (AP Photo/William Liang)The tractor portion of a big rig, at left, is shown in an aerial view on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, in the Wilmington section of Los Angeles. Several Los Angeles firefighters were injured, two critically, when an explosion occurred as they responded to a truck with pressurized cylinders that were on fire early Thursday, authorities said. (AP Photo/William Liang)The tractor portion of a big rig is shown in an aerial view on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, in the Wilmington section of Los Angeles. Several Los Angeles firefighters were injured, two critically, when an explosion occurred as they responded to a truck with pressurized cylinders that were on fire early Thursday, authorities said. (AP Photo/William Liang)Firefighters stage at the scene of an explosion in an aerial view on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, in the Wilmington section of Los Angeles. Several Los Angeles firefighters were injured, two critically, when an explosion occurred as they responded to a truck with pressurized cylinders that were on fire early Thursday, authorities said. (AP Photo/William Liang)The tractor portion of a big rig is shown on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024 in the Wilmington section of Los Angeles. Several Los Angeles firefighters were injured, two critically, when an explosion occurred as they responded to a truck with pressurized cylinders that were on fire early Thursday, authorities said. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)A police officer puts up crime scene tape near the site of a truck explosion on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, in the Wilmington section of Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)A fire inspector is observes the scene near the site of a truck explosion on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, in the Wilmington section of Los Angeles.(AP Photo/Eric Thayer)A fire inspector observes the scene near the site of a truck explosion on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, in the Wilmington section of Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)The tractor portion of a big rig, at left, is shown in an aerial view on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, in the Wilmington section of Los Angeles. Several Los Angeles firefighters were injured, two critically, when an explosion occurred as they responded to a truck with pressurized cylinders that were on fire early Thursday, authorities said. (AP Photo/William Liang)The tractor portion of a big rig, bottom, is shown in an aerial view on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, in the Wilmington section of Los Angeles. Several Los Angeles firefighters were injured, two critically, when an explosion occurred as they responded to a truck with pressurized cylinders that were on fire early Thursday, authorities said. (AP Photo/William Liang)
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
The tractor portion of a big rig, right, is shown in an aerial view on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, in the Wilmington section of Los Angeles. Several Los Angeles firefighters were injured, two critically, when an explosion occurred as they responded to a truck with pressurized cylinders that were on fire early Thursday, authorities said. (AP Photo/William Liang)
LOS ANGELES – Seven of nine firefighters injured when a truck's fuel tank exploded have been released from a hospital, a Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman said Friday.
The two firefighters who were most seriously injured remained hospitalized, Capt. Erik Scott said in a video update on social media.
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One was in stable but critical condition at Los Angeles General Medical Center's burn unit and the other remained admitted for observation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Scott said.
The released firefighters will continue to receive treatment for injuries including burns, blunt trauma, shrapnel wounds and effects on their hearing, Scott said.
The blast occurred minutes after the firefighters responded to a report of a truck fire in the Wilmington area near the Port of Los Angeles.
Authorities said the truck was powered by compressed natural gas and one of its two 100-gallon (378-liter) fuel tanks blew up.
The other tank remained in the mangled wreckage but is believed to now be empty, department spokesman Nicholas Prange said.
The Fire Department and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the explosion.
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
