Los Angeles— Los Angeles will pay more than $21 million to resolve claims brought by residents of a neighborhood where police mishandled the detonation of a stash of illegal fireworks three years ago, injuring 17 individuals and displacing scores more.
The City Council overwhelmingly approved the payouts on Tuesday, and the settlements will now be sent to Mayor Karen Bass for approval, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Councilmember Curren Price, who represents the South Los Angeles district where the incident happened, expressed sorrow over the “agonizingly slow” process of reaching an agreement.
“The victims of the 27th Street fireworks explosion have endured unimaginable pain and trauma that will last a lifetime,” Price said in an interview. “Reaching these financial settlements were a crucial step toward their healing, rebuilding their lives, and finding stability and peace.”
According to the Times, the 17 plaintiffs received settlement sums ranging from $100,000 to $2.8 million.
On June 30, 2021, police discovered an estimated 32,000 pounds (14,500 kilograms) of illegal commercial and homemade fireworks, as well as other explosive materials, in a home on East 27th Street.
According to a federal report, the LAPD bomb squad loaded roughly 40 pounds (18 kilos) of the most explosive and deadly handmade pyrotechnics inside an armored containment tank designed for only 33 pounds (14 kilograms).
The pyrotechnics were meant to be detonated safely at the spot since they were too unstable to move, but the vessel burst, raining debris on numerous homes, businesses, and automobiles.
The explosion injured ten law enforcement officers and seven people, causing damage to 22 residences, 13 businesses, and 37 cars and trucks. Approximately 80 persons were displaced.
Damage exceeded $1 million, and the city has spent millions more on repairs, housing, and other assistance for working-class residents.
According to federal investigators, bomb squad technicians underestimated the weight of the explosive material because they measured it by sight rather than using a scale, and they also ignored a team member’s suggestion that the explosive material should be split down into smaller quantities.
Arturo Ceja III, 27, who lived in the home where the fireworks were discovered, was sentenced to five months in federal prison after pleading guilty to one count of transporting explosives without a license.
