Explosion sends debris flying from Glendale apartment, displaces residents
Residents of a Glendale apartment building were left temporarily homeless over the weekend after a natural-gas explosion forced them out while repairs are made.
The Glendale Fire Department first responded to a report of an explosion in the 1200 block of Viola Avenue sometime before 9 p.m. on Saturday, according to Anita Shandi, a spokeswoman for the department.
She said debris was strewn outside multiple units after the explosion blew out several doors and windows.
Gas could be smelled in the area, Shandi said, and utility service to the building was shut off.
The source of the explosion was eventually traced back to a utility room in the building’s underground parking garage.
Shandi said an open valve in the room led to an “environment capable of causing the explosion and the resulting damage.”
The building was yellow-tagged, meaning people having limited access to entry until the required repairs are finished.
Twitter: @Andy_Truc
