FIREWORKS HOUSE HAUL: 25 Tons of Illegal Explosives Seized at LA Area Home

REPORT: Authorities were working Thursday to safely remove multiple tons of illegal fireworks that were found inside several U-Haul trucks at a residence in South Gate.

Authorities discover multiple U-Haul trucks stuffed with commercial-grade fireworks, forcing an all-day haz-mat removal hours before July 4.

More than 25 tons of outlawed fireworks were uncovered at a single‐family residence on San Carlos Avenue in South Gate after neighbors tipped police about “suspicious unloading.” Responding officers pried open a row of rented U-Haul box trucks and found pallet after pallet of high-powered aerial shells and bulk mortar rounds stacked to the roof.

Fire crews evacuated nearby homes while bomb technicians began the painstaking job of transferring thousands of pounds of explosives to secure trailers for destruction. Officials estimate the street value at well over $2 million, noting that many of the shells are strong enough to shatter windows or ignite rooftop fires from half a block away.

Investigators say multiple suspects face felony charges for possession of destructive devices and could be liable for six-figure fines under California’s Health & Safety Code. The bust comes amid an aggressive county-wide crackdown following several catastrophic fireworks explosions in recent years.

For More Information

• NBC4 Los Angeles: Video of the U-Haul search and haz-mat operation
• FOX 11 Los Angeles: Report on the multi-million-dollar fireworks haul
• SFGATE: Background on California’s record illegal-fireworks market

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