Teen boy blown up by illegal fireworks in South LA
The fatal blast happened around 9:30 p.m. on Dec. 3.
A 17-year-old boy was killed when a high-powered, illegal firework exploded in a backyard, shaking a South LA neighborhood with a blast so intense that residents initially feared it was a bomb.
The explosion occurred around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday at a home on the 400 block of West 84th Street in the Vermont Knolls neighborhood, according to the LAPD.
First responders found the teenager in critical condition, and he was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at a nearby hospital. Investigators at the scene discovered a box labeled “Cash Game 357,” a large 357-shot aerial firework known for producing a rapid series of continuous explosions.
These “cake” fireworks are illegal in California, where even smaller “safe and sane” fireworks are strictly regulated. It is not yet confirmed whether the specific firework in the box caused the fatal explosion.
The LAPD Bomb Squad, Hazardous Materials Unit, and Major Crimes Division detectives all responded to investigate the scene.
Authorities said there were no ongoing safety concerns, seized “a large quantity of illegal pyrotechnic devices,” and moved all explosive material to a secure storage location.
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