3 Critically Injured in Food Stand Fire at Youth Baseball Field

Five people were injured, three of them critically, when a propane line ignited at a crowded youth baseball tournament and erupted into a flash fire Sunday afternoon in Santa Clarita, authorities said.

Several hundred people were attending the tournament at the William S. Hart Field located in the 23400 block of Valencia Boulevard when fire broke out at a food stand at 5:30 p.m., according to Lt. Tim Peters of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Santa Clarita station.

“As a customer came up and asked for service, one of the workers got up from a chair in which she was sitting,” Peters said in a statement. “Unfortunately the chair fell over as she stood and hit the propane line” which then either ruptured or was cut by the impact, he said.

Peters said the escaping gas was ignited by cooking burners, prompting a flash fire that burned the five victims simultaneously. “Propane could be heard streaming into the air” at the time of the fire, he said.

A 46-year old woman, identified as Gloria Grant of Valencia, had burns over 61% of her body. She also suffered smoke inhalation and was taken to Torrance Memorial Hospital where she was listed in critical condition.

A 13-year-old Valencia boy was in critical condition late Sunday suffering from smoke inhalation and second degree burns over 36% of his body. He was taken to Henry Mayo Medical Center before being transferred to Torrance Memorial Hospital.

Also in critical condition with second degree burns over 55% of her body was a 14-year-old Saugus girl taken from Santa Clarita by helicopter to the Grossman Burn Center at Sherman Oaks Hospital.

Two other victims, ages 10 and 14, were treated and released, according to Peters.

The identities of the youths were not immediately disclosed.

Despite the size of the crowd and nature of the accident, Peters said, people remained orderly.