The Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday approved an additional $660,000 for victims of a failed detonation of illegal fireworks in a South Los Angeles neighborhood two years ago.
The Council voted 12-0 to allocate more funds to aid recovery efforts for families and residents affected by the explosion, many of whom are still displaced from their homes.
Council members Heather Hutt, Katy Yaroslavsky and Curren Price were absent from Wednesday’s meeting.
In June 2021, the Los Angeles Police Department conducted a controlled recall of illegal fireworks seized from a residence on East 27th Street near San Pedro Street. The denotation resulted in an explosion that injured 17 people and damaged 22 residences, 13 businesses, and 37 vehicles.
On Sunday, Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore announced that four members of the department’s bomb squad have been disciplined for their role in the botched operation. Additionally, an internal investigation resulted in the implementation of new protocols for the bomb squad to prevent similar events from occurring in the future, according to Moore.
“Even our best intentions cannot return this neighborhood to where it was before this event occurred,” Moore said. “However, as a Department, we remain committed to supporting affected residents as we continue to work to correct this.”
That effort includes commanding officers of the department’s Newton Station meeting weekly with the 27th Street Long-Term Recovery Group, Moore said.
The city previously spent $3 million to support and help residents affected by the fireworks explosion. In March, the council approved an additional $2.3 million for that same effort.
In 2022, the city’s Housing Department reported that 23 people in six households had been relocated to permanent housing. Eight more homes were ready to move in and were searching for affordable units.
