Trailer Fire Injures Two Sheriff’s Deputies in Los Angeles
Two experienced Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies sustained severe injuries on Tuesday when a fire erupted inside a trailer functioning as a mobile shooting range in the northern region of Los Angeles, as confirmed by authorities.
Both deputies, though critically injured, were in stable condition following the incident inside the roughly 50-foot trailer. Sheriff Robert Luna made the decision to temporarily close other mobile shooting ranges throughout the county while investigators delve into the fire’s cause.
“We must ascertain why this occurred and uncover the root of the issue to prevent any recurrence,” Luna asserted during a news briefing at the Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, where the deputies initially received treatment. They were later transported to the LA General Medical Center for further medical attention.
Luna refrained from immediately revealing the deputies’ identities but disclosed that one has served the department for 21 years, while the other boasts 17 years of dedicated service.
Firefighters battled the blaze for over four hours, commencing their efforts around 9:30 a.m., and were still diligently working to extinguish it later in the afternoon, as conveyed in a statement by the sheriff’s department.
Overcoming significant challenges, emergency crews confronted live ammunition still inside the trailer, representing a considerable hazard, according to Luna.
The mobile shooting range is situated on an extensive campus in Castaic, an area about 35 miles to the northwest of downtown Los Angeles. This campus also accommodates the Pitchess Detention Center, a county jail that was placed on lockdown as a precautionary measure. The sheriff ensured that incarcerated individuals remained unharmed by the flames.
The trailer featured two “firing lanes,” and one of the deputies was engaged in firearms qualification, a requirement for department deputies to complete on a quarterly basis, Luna clarified.
Initially, the fire department reported that four deputies had been injured, but Luna later confirmed that only two deputies were harmed in the incident.