One Los Angeles County firefighter was killed and another injured Friday in an explosion that ripped through an Antelope Valley quarry as fire crews responded to a burning front loader, officials said.
Authorities have not released the names of the firefighters or said what caused the explosion, which occurred in the early afternoon in the 6500 block of East Avenue T in the Palmdale area.
Speaking to reporters Friday evening, county fire Chief Anthony Marrone said that the firefighters were battling flames that had engulfed “a very, very large articulated front loader that was working in a quarry” when the blast occurred.
“And I don’t know what exploded,” Marrone said during a news conference at Antelope Valley Medical Center.
Marrone said the department would release the name of the firefighter who was killed later Friday after contacting his relatives. He described him as a 19-year department veteran who most recently had been assigned to a four-member fire engine at Station 93 in Palmdale.
L.A. County firefighter Andrew Pontious died while on duty Friday.
(L.A. County Fire Facebook)
“A wonderful man. He was married. He was a father. It’s just such, such a tragedy,” Marrone said.
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Cmdr. Mark Reyes said the agency’s homicide bureau and arson unit had started a death investigation, but that it was too early to say what caused the explosion.
Hours after the blast, a KTLA-TV Channel 5 helicopter showed firefighters continuing to spray water on the front loader.
L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger offered her condolences to the firefighter’s family and colleagues, saying his death was “a sobering reminder of the dangers our first responders face every day.”
“We owe them our steadfast support as they grapple with this loss,” she said in a statement. “I’m committed to ensuring our fire personnel are connected with needed mental health support as they grieve.”
She said that another firefighter was taken to a hospital with minor injuries, but is expected to be released Friday evening.
Earlier this year, nine L.A. city firefighters were injured when a tank of compressed natural gas exploded while they were working to extinguish a semitruck fire.