Details about what led to the crash near Branford Street and San Fernando Road were not immediately available. No serious injuries were reported.

Utility crews were responding to the scene to repair the power line poles.

The nearby intersection will remain closed during repairs.

Officers with the Los Angeles Police Department responded to the 12600 block of Branford Street.

According to the LAPD, the woman was crossing the street shortly after 9 p.m. in an unmarked crosswalk.

She was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver remained at the scene and was taken into custody. No further details were immediately available.

The pilot, the only person onboard, was ‘extricated’ from the plane and received medical attention, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. The pilot was injured, but able to walk away from the plane.

Pacoima Apr 28

Some Pacoima residents divided over Whiteman Airport's future

Sylmar May 4, 2022

Pilot Reported Landing Gear Problem Before Deadly Sylmar Plane Crash

The Lancair Legacy 2000 —  a two-seat single-engine light aircraft — touched down on the runway, but the landing gear did not properly deploy. The aircraft crashed through a chain-link fence and came to a stop under a tree in the lot on airport property.

Parts of the plane, including fragments of a wing, were scattered in the lot.

About five gallons of fuel spilled from the plane, but was contained, the LAFD said. The plane did not catch fire.

Mike Berry, a helicopter mechanic, said he heard a popping sound on the runway when the plane touched down.

“I glanced over, and I saw the aircraft go up a little bit and then he was trying to save it,” Berry said. “His wing tips hit the taxiway and slid in through the fence into the parking lot.”

Flight instructor Allen Kahn said he and a student ran to help, trying to break through the plane’s canopy.

“Another three, four gentlemen come and join me, then we were able to break that,” he said.

Witnesses and authorities said the man did not appear to suffer serious injuries.

“He was more frustrated than anything because it’s a beautiful toy that he has, and it’s a shame,” Berry said, adding that he mentioned some type of problem with the landing gear.

The FAA said it will investigate the crash.

“Thankfully, no one else was injured,” the Whiteman Airport Coalition said in a statement. “Most importantly, the incident remained entirely on airport grounds and posed no danger to surrounding neighborhoods or nearby residents. We are grateful for the quick response from airport personnel and first responders, whose professionalism helped ensure the situation was handled safely. We also wish the pilot a full and speedy recovery.”

Whiteman Airport is a general aviation airport that has been the subject of safety concerns in the nearby community.

In April, a Cessna 172 hit a power pole while arriving at the airport, knocking down power lines. The plane overturned in the parking lot of an auto parts store. The pilot survived but was critically injured.

The April crash led the county Board of Supervisors to approve a motion requesting a report on immediate steps the county could potentially take to improve safety at the airport. The report released last month included recommendations like quarterly pilot safety seminars and upgrades to runway pavement and markings, although the report stressed that runways and taxiways are currently “safe, functional and satisfy FAA maintenance and design standards.”

Public Works officials suggested rehabilitation of about 554,500 square feet of pavement, including crack-sealing, slurry sealing and new pavement markings.

“Ultimately, these improvements would enhance the airport’s primary aircraft movement areas and help ensure that runway and taxiway pavements and markings remain in a state of good repair consistent with FAA maintenance and design standards,” according to the report.

The project was estimated to cost about $5 million.

The cause of the April 20 crash remains under investigation by federal authorities.

Some residents have called for the airport’s closure, but supporters have said it plays a critical role in local aviation and can only be closed by the FAA, not the county. The Whiteman Airport Coalition, formed in response to moves to close the airport, is made up of pilots, business owners and public safety advocates seeking to secure the airport’s future.

“Today’s events highlight the importance of continuing to invest in safety at Whiteman Airport,” the airport Coalition statement continued. “We support the County’s recommendation to pursue federal funding for improvements such as pilot education, airfield safety enhancements, and community engagement. These are the kinds of investments that help strengthen safety for everyone who relies on the airport and lives nearby.”

In a statement Tuesday, Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath called for operations at the airport be suspended, pending a federal investigation.

“I do not have confidence that this federal government shares Los Angeles County’s sense of urgency for safety at Whiteman Airport,” Horvath said. “We have repeatedly called for answers and corrective actions—we are still waiting.

“It is time for the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board to meet their basic obligations. Our communities can no longer pay the price for delay and inaction. I call on all operations to cease immediately while a thorough investigation is conducted. This federal government must decide what it is willing to do to keep our communities near Whiteman Airport safe.”

In response to Horvath’s statement, the Whiteman Airport Coalition said the supervisor’s call to cease airport operations, “raises serious concerns about the future of an important community asset that supports jobs, local businesses, aviation services, and emergency response capabilities throughout the northeast San Fernando Valley.”

City News Service contributed to this report.

This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.

The crash was reported at 3:39 a.m. on the northbound lanes of the 5 Freeway at Terra Bella Street, according to CHP. There, two vehicles crashed for reasons still under investigation.

One person died at the scene; no other injuries were reported. Authorities did not release the identity of the individual who died.

CHP did not say if the drivers of the two vehicles were the only people in the crash or if either vehicle was carrying passengers. Details on what led up to the crash were not clear.

The collision involving four vehicles happened on Pierce Street near De Foe Avenue just before 4 p.m., according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Details about what led up to the crash were not immediately known.

Officials say no one was seriously injured.

As of Saturday afternoon, no arrests had been made. Police did not provide a suspect description.

Video showed officers from the Los Angeles Police Department and dozens of LAFD personnel at the scene.

“Residents deserve clear answers and confidence that every available safety measure is being considered,” Horvath said in a statement. “Los Angeles County owns and maintains Whiteman Airport, but critical aspects of aviation safety — air traffic control, pilot protocols, and airspace — are under federal authority.

“The Federal Aviation Administration plays a central role in those operations, and we need a full review, clear answers, and action to prevent this from happening again.”

Her motion follows the April 20 crash of a Cessna 172 small aircraft that struck a power pole while en route to Whiteman Airport, knocking down power lines and leaving the plane overturned in the parking lot of an auto parts store. The pilot survived but was critically injured. No other injuries were reported.

It was the latest in a string of crashes to occur near the airport in recent years, and it rejuvenated debate about the airport’s future.    

In early 2022, the county Board of Supervisors voted to explore the process involved in seeking a closure of the airport, should the county opt to pursue it. In January of that year, a plane landed on train tracks in the area and was struck by a Metrolink train. In November 2020, a plane crashed in a neighborhood near the runway, killing a Civil Air Patrol pilot.

In April 2022, a pilot died when a Cessna crashed alongside the 210 Freeway in the Sylmar area.    

But while some area residents have pushed for the airport’s closure, supporters of the facility have insisted it plays a critical role in local aviation and can only be shuttered by the Federal Aviation Administration – not the county.

The Whiteman Airport Coalition was critical of Horvath after she called for answers from the federal government about the April 20 crash and operations at the facility.

“We also support (Horvath’s) call for answers and her sense of urgency in this moment,” the coalition said in a statement last Saturday. “At the same time, context and facts matter. In recent years, Supervisor Horvath directed a freeze on pursuing FAA funded capital improvement projects at Whiteman Airport, even though federal funding has been available for safety, infrastructure, and modernization. The question the community and stakeholders have been asking for years is simple: why?”

In a statement Thursday, Horvath’s office said the supervisor has sent letters to the FAA and National Transportation Safety Board calling for an expedited review of the April 20 crash, and coordination between the agencies to identify “corrective actions.”

Her motion going before the board on Tuesday calls on the county Department of Public Works to:

• identify immediate actions the county can take to strengthen safety at the airport;
• provide a report in seven days with timelines, costs, and potential funding sources for such actions;
• prepare an outline of airport responsibilities among jurisdictions such as the FAA, NTSB, Los Angeles County, the City of Los Angeles, and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power; and   
• outline federal aviation regulations related to aircraft operations and pilot requirements, including their contingency plans during power outages or other similar disruptions.

It comes as the airport has been under scrutiny after a small plane clipped power lines and crashed in a parking lot, injuring a pilot, in Pacoima last week. But those who spoke during public comment at the meeting shared reasons for keeping the airport’s doors open.

Relevant content:

Pacoima Apr 20

Small plane crashes upside-down in Pacoima store parking lot

Pacoima Apr 28

Some Pacoima residents divided over Whiteman Airport's future

“Any accident that has happened has had nothing to do with the airport itself,” said Penny Alderson, owner of Vista Air.

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are still investigating what caused the crash, according to LA County Aviation Division Chief Jason Morgan. In the meantime, the airport manager went door to door distributing flyers with information about mental health resources and insurance claims for the community.

“The airport is safe. We are operating the airport in a safe and compliant condition. We’re inspected annually by Caltrans, the FAA, etc.,” Morgan said.

Last week, Councilmember Monica Rodriguez called the airport poorly managed and reiterated calls to close it due to repeated plane crashes. County Supervisor Lindsay Horvath called on Public Works to take immediate actions to improve safety conditions.

The Whiteman Airport Coalition, made up of local aviation officials and neighbors, said it too wants to see upgrades to keep the airport operational — and keep more than 20 businesses and 400 jobs alive, along with a myriad of youth programs.

“Lindsay Horvath has stopped us being able to access FAA funds to improve the runway, the taxiways, the tower, the equipment and the tower, just many things around the airport itself,” Alderson said.

In 2024, LA County launched a study to determine whether Whiteman Airport should close and what might replace it. It’s expected to wrap up later this year.

Aviation safety expert Steve Cowell argues against shutting it down, saying the airport is safe and generates $110 million a year.

“It’s a crucial airfield. It supports LA County Fire, Cal Fire operations, and so forth,” Cowell said. “What is going to resolve the problem is a matter of working with the controllers, working with the airports, and managing the airspace to a greater extent.”

NBCLA reached out to Horvath’s office to ask specifically about the frozen FAA funding, but she referred us to her statement from Friday, in which she calls on the FAA to conduct a full review of air traffic control operations.

The FAA provided the following statement to NBCLA in response to questions about whether there has been any discussion about closing the airport.

“The FAA is committed to ensuring aviation safety. Airports that accept federal funding must comply with obligations known as Grant Assurances,” the agency said. “The Grant Assurances require an airport to be operated at all times in a safe and serviceable condition. The FAA requires airports to correct any safety issues we become aware of. Los Angeles County used federal grant money to buy land for Whiteman Airport. Airport operators that use grant money for land acquisition must keep the airport open unless the FAA releases them from that obligation. The FAA has not received a request from Los Angeles County to close Whiteman Airport.”

A community meeting is planned for Thursday night to discuss environmental and safety concerns surrounding the airport.

The small San Fernando Valley airport was the subject of a study launched by Los Angeles County in 2024 to determine whether it should close and what could possibly replace it.

“How can they waste millions of dollars of taxpayer money to examine closing a legal airport that legally, they’re not able to close?” said Christina Pascucci, the former LA County Aviation Commissioner.

On Tuesday, a coalition of current and former local aviation officials called on the county to keep Whiteman open. The county has owned the airport since 1970 and would require the Federal Aviation Administration’s approval to shut it down.

Recently, the FAA told the county that Whiteman must remain open as long as it’s a viable airport. The coalition is accusing county officials of withholding federal funds that could make it safer.

“If elected officials continue to suffocate the airport from resources it really needs, we are afraid there could be serious long-term consequences,” Pascucci said.

Their pleas come just a week after a pilot was seriously hurt when he hit power lines while on approach to Whiteman, crashing upside down in the parking lot of an O’Reilly Auto Parts store. The coalition said the county needs to use federal dollars to put power lines underground and rebuild the runway.

“It’s an airport in an urbanized community whose runway does not provide for sufficient takeoff or landing space for planes,” said Roberto Barragan, Executive Director of ICON CDC.

The results on the county’s study on whether Whiteman should remain open or close are expected to be released this year. It will then be submitted to the FAA.

LA County Supervisor Lindsay Horvath’s office did not respond to a request for comment.

The LAPD’s Foothill Division had sent a patrol unit to support the encampment cleanup project in the area of Montague Street and San Fernando Road, according to the LAPD. Police officers were conducting a joint operation with the Bureau of Sanitation and Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.

When the officers and city workers were “addressing the encampment issue,” a large dog without an owner approached them and began attacking the group, according to LAPD Cpt. Mike Bland.

“It actually attacked and bit one of the workers repeatedly. Then, it turned on the officer, attacked and bit the officer repeatedly, and that resulted in an officer-involved shooting,” Bland said.

The dog, shot by the officer, died at the scene. It was not immediately clear whether the dog was a stray. The LAPD only described it as a “unrestrained dog.”

“We never want to shoot a person or an animal,” Blank said. “In situations like this, as a last resort when faced with a life or death situation, officers will use deadly force.”

The city worker suffered minor injuries to the arm, but the officer was awaiting surgery for a “pretty significant” bite to his lower body.

Investigators will get statements and review footage from the officers’ body-worn cameras to learn more about how it all happened,” Blank said.

After the crash, several good Samaritans rushed to the scene to try to help the pilot out of the wreckage. Video recorded at the time showed the group trying to lift the small aircraft to free the pilot. Their efforts were successful and they were able to remove him from the cabin.

Paramedics said they found the pilot outside the plane upon their arrival. He was taken to an area hospital, where he remains in critical condition.

Officials did not identify the pilot, but they described him as a man in his 70s. He was the only person on board.

Luz Maria Mejia said she and her brothers witnessed the crash. Almost immediately, her brother sprang into action to help, she said.

“I was turning at San Fernando and Van Nuys, and I seen a plane hit a post right there, right on Sutter and Van Nuys,” she said. “It lost control so it hit into an O’Reilly’s. And when it hit O’Reilly’s, all the electrical wires fell to the ground and we weren’t able to pass because all the electrical wires were under our tires, basically. That’s when we walked over to O’Reilly’s and my brother and ten other people helped out to pick up the plane. When we picked up the plane, they took the guy out.”

The 2007 Cessna 172S Skyhawk is registered to a local flight school.

The location is just north of Whiteman Airport, a general aviation airport in the northeastern San Fernando Valley. The plane was returning to the airport when it crash-landed, authorities said.

Reports from the LAFD indicated high voltage power lines were also damaged in the crash near Ralston Avenue and Van Nuys Boulevard. Power outages were reported in the surrounding area, which was evacuated due to the downed wires.

The plane did not appear to strike any vehicles in the lot, which was blocked off by police.

Details about what caused the plane to go down were not immediately available.

The collision occurred around 8:20 p.m. near the intersection of Paxton Street and San Fernando Road, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. (LAFD).  Here, firefighters responded to reports of a vehicle striking a pole at the location.

A 30-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene. A 27-year-old man trapped inside the vehicle was rescued and taken to a hospital, where he is in critical condition.

A woman believed to be about 39 years old suffered minor injuries. She was evaluated at the scene and was not expected to be taken to a hospital.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation. 

The Los Angeles Police Department responded to the scene at the 13200 block of Pinney Street at around 2:40 a.m. SWAT and K9 units were on scene trying to get the man to come out.

He was believed to be the only person inside the residence. No injuries to residents were reported.

According to the LAPD, the man broke into another home and when officers arrived, he went into a second home and barricaded himself there. SWAT officers were called to the scene.

The man was taken into custody at about 8 a.m. Video from NewsChopper4 showed the shirtless man being handcuffed on a sidewalk outside the house, then loaded into an ambulance.

Nearby intersections were closed for the police activity.

Junior Andrew Bennett, 32, of Piñon Hills, was arrested on suspicion of child sex abuse after allegedly using his role as head Pastor of Breakthrough Church to target minors. According to SBSD, the suspect, who was known as Prophet Junior Bennett, used his title to “manipulate minors and ultimately sexually assault them.”

Bennett faces charges that include sodomy of a minor, lewd acts with a child and oral copulation of a minor.  Detectives say there may be other victims.

Anyone with information on the case or who believes they have been victimized by Bennett is urged to contact SBSD’s Victor Valley station at 760-552-6800 or 760-956-5001. Anonymous tips can be made by contacting the We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-78CRIME.

The crash was reported in the 12600 block of Osborne Street near Whiteman Airport, LAPD said.

At least four people were injured, at least one of them was transported to a hospital, according to the LA Fire Department. The severity of the injuries was unclear.

Details on what led up to the crash were not immediately available.

This is a developing story, check back for details.

The car ended up in the living room of the San Fernando Valley house, where a man had been sleeping on a couch. Members of the LAFD’s urban search and rescue team were called to the scene.

The resident and driver were hospitalized. Details about the severity of their injuries were not immediately available.

The Tesla was removed from the house and towed from the scene early Friday. One wall of the heavily damaged home was boarded up.

The downed tree was reported to emergency crews just after 4 p.m. on the 12300 block of Osborne Place, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. LAFD noted the tree may have taken down some wires during its fall.

NewsChopper4 was over the scene where the large tree was seen split in two. One part of the tree was atop a black car and the other part of the tree landed in the entrance of a parking lot for what appears to be an apartment complex.

“It was very scary. My whole family was inside,” said Laura Rivera, who lives in the area. “I just had relatives come to visit us and they left around 2:30 p.m., so we were so glad. Nothing happened right at that moment when they left.”

No injuries were reported during the fall, LAFD said.

Two reindeer caused quite the traffic jam as they strolled through the 5 Freeway in Pacoima early Saturday morning.

“Cookie” and “Noel” apparently escaped their transport trailer and were seen running down the freeway. 

One of them was hit by a car but is expected to be okay, according to LA Animal Services.  

According to the California Highway Patrol, the animals were on the southbound 5 Freeway in the Pacoima area at around 6:30 a.m.

“It was quite a sight to see traffic come to a complete stop,” said Steven Bracamontes, who witnessed the traffic backup.

Bracamontes said he had front-row seats while headed southbound on the 5 Freeway, just before the 118 ramp toward San Fernando. 

“I noticed two Caltrans trucks swerving across lanes, which is when I realized there was a reindeer on the roadway. My first thought was that Santa had lost one of his helpers,” Bracamontes said. 

Shortly after capturing the video, Bracamontes said the reindeer began moving toward oncoming traffic.

LA Animal Services managed to wrangle the reindeer and they have since been reunited with their owner.

According to the Los Angeles Police Department, a white pickup truck was headed westbound on Van Nuys Boulevard when it struck a man walking in an unmarked crosswalk. 

Police responded to the scene at Van Nuys Boulevard and Sutter Avenue shortly before 10 p.m. on Sunday. 

The pedestrian, described as a man in his 50s, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the fire department. It was not clear if the man was homeless. 

The driver abandoned the truck not far from the scene on Van Nuys Boulevard, the LAPD said. No description of the driver was available.

The crash site was part of Los Angeles’ “high injury network,” which is a collection of streets and intersections where most traffic deaths and severe injuries occur based on data from the Los Angeles Department of Transpiration.

According to the city’s website, between 2009 and 2019, there were 24 severe or fatal collision in a 1-and-a-half-mile section of Van Nuys Boulevard near the location of Sunday’s deadly hit-and-run.

The website also showed safety improvements were taken previously, including visible crosswalks and speed feedback signs.

Officers responded to reports of a shooting near Laurel Canyon and Osbourne Avenue around 9 p.m.  Upon arrival, they found one victim with a gunshot wound in the arm.

NewsChopper 4 showed the Food 4 Less parking lot closed off as officers investigated the area.

LAPD said the suspect fled the area and remains at large.

No description of the suspect was immediately available.

The condition of the victim was also unknown.

The device was reported around 2:30 p.m. outside of the LAPD Foothill Station, police said.

The box containing military devices was left outside the station after a couple found it while cleaning the home of a deceased family member who was in the military, according to police.

“They told the officers they didn’t know if the items were bombs or whether the bombs were active. The officers went out, looked inside the box, and found what appeared to be four or five military-style bombs,” said LAPD Captain Warner Castillo. “They took the box containing the explosives from the garage and brought it here to the station. They put it in their car and drove from their home to the police station.”

Authorities ordered the evacuation of the police station, nearby homes, and businesses while the investigation continued.

After several hours of investigating with the help of a robot, police were able to determine that four of the devices were explosives.

The couple took a significant risk by transporting the explosives to the station themselves, according to the police captain.

Authorities recommend that anyone who finds something similar should call the police immediately and allow trained personnel to handle it, rather than risking their life by moving potentially dangerous devices.

The shooting was reported in the 10000 block of San Fernando Road.

According to LAPD, the reporting party heard multiple gunshots and someone screaming.

The gunshot victim was conscious and breathing, according to LAPD.

No arrests have been made.

This is a developing story, check back for details.

Over 100 firefighters battled a multi-house fire that sent a large dark plume of smoke hundreds of feet in the air in the San Fernando Valley. Fireworks were still detonating at the property when firefighters arrived, contributing to the rapid spread of flames to at least four homes and other buildings.

South Gate Jul 3, 2025

About 25 tons of illegal fireworks found at South Gate home, police say

Simi Valley Jul 3, 2025

1 killed in fire and possible fireworks explosion at Simi Valley home

The fire reported just after 9 p.m. in the 12900 block of Corcoran Street in Pacoima left one person dead and five injured, firefighters said. Flames were knocked down at about 10 p.m.

The fire was considered a “Major Emergency,” with over 100 firefighters battling the blaze.

Residents heard and felt the blasts. A tower of smoke rose from the burning homes with fireworks lighting up the sky.

“My mom had just got home. I ran outside to hug my mom and all of the sudden a bunch of fireworks go,” said witness Collette Gallegos. “The entire house shakes. All you see is this big cloud of smoke.”

Details about the identity of the man in his 30s who died were not immediately available. A 33-year-old woman was critically injured. Four other people were treated for smoke inhalation.

Eighteen residents were displaced.

Neighbors, some of whom had not slept during, told NBCLA Friday morning that the man and critically injured woman are family members.

“When I arrived, that’s when I saw the burn victim,” neighbor Jacob Gonzalez said. “She was crying out for her husband. I tried to get her some water. I tried to do what I could for her.”

Several animals were injured. At least one dog was transported to an veterinary emergency hospital.

Details about how the fire started were not immediately available.

Earlier Thursday, one person was killed when fireworks exploded in a garage and a fire spread to a house in Simi Valley.

The crash was reported around 6:33 p.m. at 11675 N. Glenoaks Boulevard.

Two 29-year-old men were taken to the hospital in serious condition due to the speed of the collision, according to the LAFD. Two women, ages 55 and 60, were also transported with minor injuries.

A 60-year-old man declined LAFD treatment at the scene.

In celebration of the new route, DASH Pacoima offered free rides starting Saturday and continuing through May 31. The route is fully served by 14 electric battery-powered buses funded by the state’s Transformative Climate Communities grant program, which also supported charging stations at DOT’s North Region Bus Yard.

“The launch of DASH Pacoima is a huge step toward transportation equity for Arleta, Panorama City and Pacoima,” Councilwoman Imelda Padilla said. “This all-electric route connects residents to where they need to go — schools, jobs, parks, and grocery stores — while cutting emissions and improving air quality in communities that have borne the brunt of pollution for far too long.”

“… Thank you to Pacoima Beautiful, the Greening Together Collaborative and LADOT for making this happen. This partnership shows what’s possible when local government and grassroots organizations come together to put community needs first,” she continued. “And with DASH Pacoima sharing the Van Nuys corridor with the future East San Fernando Valley Light Rail, we’re laying the groundwork for a truly connected and sustainable future across the Valley.”

On Friday, Department of Transportation General Manager Laura Rubio-Cornejo described the new route as an “exciting moment” for Pacoima.

“This new DASH route will provide a key connection to neighborhood amenities and our wider transportation network that is accessible and affordable. It is just one more example of our commitment to investing in our communities and ensuring that all Angelenos have access to safe and reliable transportation,” Rubio-Cornejo said.

Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez said she worked to secure funding for this second DASH route with specific stops near schools and key destinations to ensure “residents — especially students, families and seniors — have the convenience of an affordable transit system that prioritizes their needs.”

Mayor Karen Bass said area residents “will now have access to a more reliable, cleaner and sustainable all electric local bus service that also promotes greater access for all to visit the San Fernando Valley in the coming years. The new DASH Pacoima route represents our continued investments in the San Fernando Valley for healthy and climate-resilient infrastructure.”

Metro’s San Fernando Valley Light Rail Transit Project is a 6.7-mile rail segment with 11 new stations to be built on Van Nuys Boulevard. The aim is to further enhance transit opportunities in the area to Metrolink, Amtrak, Metro’s G (Orange) and B (Red) line.

Metro also recently began construction on its G Line Improvements Project, which will upgrade the existing line with grade separations and a new aerial station at Van Nuys, as well as better signal priority technology and a new gating system.

Such transit projects are to prepare Los Angeles for the 2028 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The crash happened around 10:45 a.m. on Saturday in the 13000 block of West Terra Bella, according to LAFD.

A driver, described as a man in his 20s, collided with the fire engine and was taken to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

The fire engine was responding to an emergency and had its lights and sirens on at the time of the crash, according to LAFD.

Two of the LAFD members were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.

A nearby business owner in Pacoima says he witnessed as first responders extricated the driver from the vehicle.

“The client that I was talking to crossed the street and he went to check out the car. Opened the door of the passenger side while the firefighters were getting ready or something. After that, a few seconds passed by and they took the guy out of the car from the passenger side. From my point of view, the guy was not bleeding or something, but he looked unconscious,” said Luis Gomez.

The identity of the driver was not immediately available. The cause of the crash is still under investigation.

The 13-0 vote authorized the Economic and Workforce Development Department to contract with Laborers’ International Union of North America Local 300 (LIUNA Local 300), which will spearhead the new program.

Councilmembers Ysabel Juardo and Bob Blumenfield were absent during the vote.

Pacoima Mar 22, 2025

What's next for the Pacoima neighborhood impacted by home explosion?

New York Mar 23, 2025

Fired high school girls basketball coach apologizes for hair-pulling incident with player

The funding will repair sidewalks across the Seventh District including the Pacoima, Sylmar, Mission Hills, Lake View Terrace, La Tuna Canyon, Sunland-Tujunga, North Hills and Shadow Hills neighborhoods.

The motion was originally introduced on Feb. 18 by Councilmembers Monica Rodriguez and Imelda Padilla, who represent the San Fernando Valley districts.

Rodriguez said the project is part of a long committed promise dating back to her election in 2017. After her appointment Rodriguez kicked off discussions with the union to “create job opportunities, job training and fix aged infrastructure” the statement said.

“This is work and a concept that is basically seven years in the making,” Rodriguez said. “I hope it then becomes a model of something that we can help introduce and launch citywide.”

Broken and neglected sidewalks have plagued Los Angeles for years. In 2022, the NBLCA I-Team found the city had a backlog of 50,000 complaints concerning broken sidewalks.

Since 2015 the city has agreed to spend $31 million annually for the next three decades on repairing sidewalks after a lawsuit brought by disability advocates.

In 2021, former LA City Controller Ron Galperin noted it would take nearly 500 years to fix all of LA’s buckled and cracked sidewalks at the current pace of the city’s repair program.

On Thursday, a Pacoima neighborhood was rocked by a home explosion that left a 24-year-old man critically injured, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. After discovering there were more illegal explosives on the property, officials decided to detonate the materials through a controlled burn.

Karen Bass Mar 21, 2025

‘This house is essentially a bomb.' 60 homes evacuated after Pacoima home explosion

Pacoima Mar 20, 2025

26 families displaced by fireworks explosion in Pacoima

Guy Tomlinson, LAFD Assistant Chief, said the decision to go that route was made because the accessory dwelling unit (ADU) on the property that was housing the explosives no longer had integrity, as he described it.

“As you saw in the initial explosion, the building had collapsed in on itself, so it wasn’t safe to actually be inside of it,” he said. “The materials that were stored in there were all illegal … So the safest way to handle it was to initiate a control burn and let it burn all the way off.”

A little more than 60 homes were under an evacuation order, frustrating community members. On Saturday morning, officials were allowing some residents to return to their homes and they reopened some streets. Police said repopulation for the neighborhood would be cleared at 5 p.m. Saturday.

Although the controlled burn has been completed, work for officials on the matter will carry on.

“The continued steps are air monitoring, making sure the community’s still safe,” Tomlinson said. “Since midnight last night, the air sampling has been all back to normal range.”

He explained the burn that was seen Saturday morning was to control runoff from hazardous materials that could have mixed with water coming from the property.

“We did not apply any water to the structure, so there is no hazardous water in that runoff as of yet,” Tomlinson said. “So, we’re protecting the storm drain system and then we’re also controlling where that water could go so we don’t have any additional hazardous materials or any issues down range from the incident.”

Law enforcement may preserve the home where the explosives were stored for future investigations or possible criminal charges. Police are investigating whether the man who was injured is a victim in the case or a suspect.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case as a criminal matter.

Mayor Karen Bass said Friday that the sheer amount of explosives found inside the property in the 13000 block of Remington Street is too dangerous to transport out of the neighborhood. Instead, officials will eliminate the dangerous material through what she called “controlled burn.”

“All of the options have been examined,” Bass said. “Public safety leaders have made it clear that it’s unsafe to enter the property due to the dangerous materials inside.”

The powerful blast left a 24-year-old man critically injured with more than half of his body seeing the second or third-degree burn, according to LAFD.

Four dogs were also rescued from the property.

As the LAPD investigates with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, federal officials confirmed that this is a criminal investigation.

“This is essentially a bomb.” Kenneth R. Cooper, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Los Angeles field office, said. “We are going to use fire, slow methodic burn to alleviate that threat to public safety.”

The blast was first reported at around 9 a.m. Thursday as fire crews found the home partially collapsed.

Black powder, used in the making of fireworks, as well as other explosive materials was found on the property, according to police.

“LAPD Bomb Squad continues to try to identify all of the material that is beneath the partially collapsed residence. It’s important that all those things are identified before they can proceed with how they’re going to continue the cleanup and continue deeming this neighborhood safe,” said Kevin Terzes with LAPD.

Pacoima Mar 20, 2025

26 families displaced by fireworks explosion in Pacoima

Pacoima Mar 21, 2025

Pacoima fireworks explosion affecting 26 households

Local, state and federal law enforcement are investigating to determine what caused the blast. It’s unclear if authorities are considering filing any charges against the injured man or anyone else at this point in the investigation.

“Obviously, the well-being of that person is the priority at the moment. But we also are aware that there’s potentially illegal materials inside of the home. So once the investigation proceeds a little further, then we’ll have some more on that,” said Terzes.

Initially, 26 homes had been evacuated, and neighbors have not been informed on when they can return home.

“Boom! Very bad. It was moving like this and shaking the house. It was like a hurricane,” said Salvador Del Toro, who lived nearby. “Well, I feel bad because he kicked me out when I don’t do nothing, right. See what’s going to happen.”

The American Red Cross Los Angeles Region has opened an emergency shelter at the Ritchie Valens Recreation Center for the families that were displaced by the explosion.

Fire investigators were combing through the rubble after an explosion at a Pacoima home left a man critically injured and at least three dogs stuck on the property.

Fire crews responded to the home, located on the 13000 block of Remington Street at around 9 a.m.

Authorities believe the blast may have been caused by fireworks.

“I’m surprised anybody survived that incident,” said LAPD Lieutenant Al Orozco. “As of now, we have our bomb squad and our LAFD personnel assessing the house to ensure that they can continue their investigation before going in. The reports were that there were remnants of fireworks inside the house.”

According to the Los Angeles Fire Department, three large dogs were left on the partially collapsed property.

The dogs are alive, but one of them is unable to get out on its own, LAFD said.

Fire officials said that at least 75% of the structure had collapsed. LAFD described the property as two single-family dwellings with an ADU in the back.

“A blast like I never heard before. I wasn’t sure if it was something on the freeway or not,” said Luis Medrano, who lives nearby. “I hope authorities take this seriously because it put a lot of us in jeopardy.”

A 24-year-old man was taken to a local hospital with serious burns and multiple fractures. He is currently in critical condition.

The man was reported to have been inside the home at the time of the explosion.

Police say the man could face criminal charges as they continue to investigate the blast.