A devastating explosion at a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department training center Friday morning claimed the lives of three veteran deputies from the elite arson and explosives unit — marking one of the deadliest single-day tragedies in the department’s modern history.
The fatal blast tore through the Biscailuz Training Facility in East Los Angeles just before 7:30 a.m., catching officials off guard and prompting an immediate lockdown of the scene.
“These were not rookies. They were experts, the best of the best,” said Sheriff Robert Luna, visibly emotional during a press conference.
“Unfortunately, I lost three of them today.”
The victims, who had served 19, 22, and 33 years in the department, were conducting operations in or near a box truck parked in a lot filled with patrol cruisers.
Aerial footage captured the aftermath — three bodies covered in white sheets, a damaged truck with an open ramp, and shattered vehicle windows from the force of the explosion.
Continue reading