El MONTEWorker killed in blast at aircraft...

El MONTE

Worker killed in blast at aircraft parts plant

A worker died Sunday afternoon in an explosion at a plant that manufactures airplane parts, authorities said.

The unidentified man died just before 2:30 p.m. when an oven exploded at the M.C. Gill Corp. in the 4000 block of Easy Street, said Sgt. Richard Williams of the El Monte Police Department.

“We got a number of calls about the explosion,” Williams said. “No one knew where it was coming from. You could hear it from quite a ways off.”

M.C. Gill describes itself as the world’s largest manufacturer of original equipment and replacement baggage compartment liners for aircraft.

Employees were working regular shifts when the accident occurred. Afterward, police evacuated and sealed off the facility pending an investigation. There were no other reports of injuries, police said.

#S#

COMMERCE

2 arrested in series of home-invasion holdups

Los Angeles County sheriff’s detectives have arrested two people suspected in a series of home-invasion robberies targeting elderly Asian women in Hacienda Heights, Norwalk and Rowland Heights, authorities said.

Detectives armed with warrants arrested Ed Ross, 39, and Rosie Nichols, 34, at a hotel in the 5700 block of Telegraph Road about noon Saturday, said Deputy Anthony Moore, a spokesman for the Sheriff’s Department.

The pair are suspected of robberies that began in September, including some in which the victims were tied up while their homes were ransacked. Ross and Nichols were booked on suspicion of robbery, and were each being held in lieu of $100,000 bail.

#S#

BEVERLY HILLS

Boy killed, 2 girls hurt as actor’s SUV hits tree

Actor Lane Garrison of TV’s “Prison Break” escaped serious injury when his SUV struck a tree, but a 17-year-old boy was killed and two other teens in the vehicle were injured, police said.

The accident occurred about 11:50 p.m. Saturday when the vehicle jumped a curb and hit a tree. The 17-year-old boy was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where he died. His name was not released.

Two 15-year-old girls also were injured, one critically, police said. Their conditions were not immediately released. Garrison, 26, suffered minor injuries.

Authorities were trying to determine who was driving the SUV, which was registered to Garrison.

A native of Dallas, Garrison plays “Tweener” on Fox’s “Prison Break.” He has worked mainly in television but appears in the film “Shooter,” which is due out next year. Garrison’s publicist, Catherine Olim, did not immediately return a phone call Sunday.