Local News in Brief : Exploding Bullets in Oak Park Garage Hold Firefighters at Bay

Fire caused $180,000 in damage to an Oak Park home Wednesday, partly because firefighters had to stay clear of the discharge of thousands of bullets that had been stored in the garage, the Ventura County Fire Department said.

The 5:36 p.m. fire started when an unidentified 14-year-old boy was welding a gasoline tank to a motorcycle in the garage of the house at 6322 Bayberry St. and the gas tank exploded, county fire dispatcher Shonna Matthews said.

The home’s owner, Ron Wallach, formerly had operated an ammunition business and had stored about 20,000 bullets in the garage, Matthews said. As the bullets discharged for at least half an hour, firefighters had to spray water on the house from a distance, she said. They could not enter the house even after the fire was extinguished at about 6 p.m.

The 14-year-old was taken to Westlake Community Hospital, where he was listed in fair condition with burns on his arms and legs, a hospital spokeswoman said.