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Los Angeles firefighters are closely monitoring a warehouse in Commerce, where 75 tons of confiscated illegal fireworks are stored alongside 27 pallets of flammable hand sanitizer. The dangerous combination has been sitting in the warehouse since May, and authorities are eager to move it. However, they require federal permission and assistance due to the high risk involved. Federal officials have informed L.A. County firefighters that the fireworks cannot be moved until August, when they will be transported through Los Angeles in semi-trailers.
"This is a recipe for disaster, and it needs to be dealt with immediately," said Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn in a statement. The urgency is heightened by recent incidents, including a deadly explosion at a fireworks facility in Esparto, California, on July 1, which killed seven people and sparked a brush fire.
According to California State Fire Marshal Dan Berlant, this seizure is the largest in state history, with 250 tons initially confiscated. A significant portion has already been removed and rendered safe, but 75 tons remain. Hahn, Berlant, and L.A. fire officials have requested that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) expedite the removal process. The EPA is considering relocating the explosives to the China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station in the Mohave Desert, approximately 150 miles from Los Angeles, due to its hazardous materials disposal capabilities.
Most fireworks are illegal in Los Angeles, and authorities stated that the importer was not adhering to regulations required by their fireworks license. Over the past decade, fireworks have caused more than $43 million in damages across California, according to CalFire. The ongoing investigation has led the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms to decline comment.