Reseda explosion forces evacuation

Two backyard sheds and a metal container in which ammunition was stored caught fire and exploded Sunday in a Reseda neighborhood, forcing the evacuation of nearby homes, authorities said.

The fire and explosion were reported at 8:43 a.m. in the 19200 block of Ingomar Street. It took firefighters about 90 minutes to extinguish the blaze. No injuries were reported.

Crews had to douse the flames from about 50 feet away because ammunition continued to go off, said Los Angeles Fire Department spokeswoman D’Lisa Davies. According to arriving firefighters, Davies said, it “sounded like thousands of rounds were going off.”

Five homes were evacuated. Davies said that the sheds and the container were a short distance from a single-family home and that the owner was on the scene and cooperating with authorities.

Davies said firefighters were unsure whether the ammunition was in the container or the sheds.

The Los Angeles Police Department’s bomb squad went to the scene to determine when it was safe for residents to return.

Authorities said it appeared that the owner of the residence and the outbuildings had the proper permits and was not expected to be arrested.

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