Generator Blast In Downtown LA Building Sends 2 To Hospital

The blast occurred shortly after 10:15 p.m. under the building on Wilshire Boulevard, the Los Angeles Fire Department said.

It broke some pipes, flooded part of the basement, knocked out power inside the building and rendered the fire-safety system inoperable, but the structure itself appeared to be sound, fire department spokesman Brian Humphrey told City News Service.

Humphrey said four people were assessed for injuries: a woman with head pain and a man with back pain were taken to hospitals, while one adult declined treatment and another just walked away.

A fire that broke out was quickly extinguished as more than 160 firefighters rushed to the scene, he said.

Officials at the Staples Center say the explosion caused a momentary power outage at the arena, where a Shania Twain concert was underway.

The building in the downtown business district is home to offices, a bar, a restaurant and a nightclub.