2 homemade explosive devices found after blast in Fullerton injures 1, police say

A pair of homemade explosive devices in Fullerton left one man injured and caused a panic in the area Friday morning, authorities said.

The Fullerton Police Department responded shortly before 9 a.m. to a report of an explosion at 1100 S. Harbor Blvd., said Lt. Jon Radus. Initial reports indicated that an electrical box could have exploded, but police quickly determined that was not the case.

By noon, bomb squad officials had determined the explosion was caused by a homemade explosive device. A second device the size of a baseball, which had explosive powder and fuses, was found nearby but was rendered safe, authorities said.

A 59-year-old man described by authorities as a homeless person was injured in the blast and will be charged in connection with the incident, Fullerton police said in a tweet.

“He was in possession of the explosive devices at some point,” Radus said. “It was certainly a dangerous situation.”

The man had been standing next to an electrical box in the parking lot of a business area near a Denny’s restaurant when one of the devices exploded.

His face and hands were badly injured in the blast, and he was taken to a trauma center, Radus said. He is expected to survive his injuries, according to police.

No businesses were damaged, and no other injuries were reported in the blast, officials said.

alejandra.reyesvelarde@latimes.com

Twitter: @r_valejandra