1 Injured In West Lake Building Explosion

WEST LAKE, CA — One person suffered significant injuries during an explosion at an apartment building in Westlake Wednesday afternoon, fire officials said.

The Los Angeles Fire Department said the explosion happened around 2:19 p.m. at a two-story apartment located at 1344 W. Fourth St.

Fire crews arrived at the scene and were met with smoke emanating from the building's attic vents, the LAFD said, adding that the explosion appeared to cause structural damage to a wall in a second-floor unit. No fires broke out from the explosion, fire officials said.

Crews shut down utilities to the building and evacuated two people, according to the LAFD.

While searching the apartment, firefighters found a third person who had significant injuries and transported them to a local hospital for treatment, fire officials said. The injured person was only identified by fire officials as a male patient.

At this point, fire officials believe the cause of the explosion may have been gas-related.