Public Safety
Recent electrical-vault incidents put Los Angeles infrastructure under scrutiny
Two underground electrical-vault incidents sent flames or displaced concrete into Los Angeles streets in recent weeks, renewing questions about aging equipment during the region's heat wave.
FOX 11 Los Angeles reported October 5 that flames erupted from underground near West Westchester Parkway and Loyola Boulevard on September 21. A separate incident early Monday on Ventura Boulevard in Studio City pushed a concrete vault roughly six to seven inches above the roadway, according to the station.
Westchester: Video showed fire shooting from beneath the pavement near LAX.
Studio City: Police said as many as six vehicles struck the raised vault; no injuries were reported.
Status: Officials have not determined the cause of either incident.
Heat discussed as a possible aggravating factor
Forensic electrical engineer Zacharias Macias told FOX 11 that cable connections can deteriorate over time and that higher power demand during extreme heat can accelerate existing degradation. Macias reviewed video from the Westchester incident but had not inspected either vault, so his comments are an expert explanation of possible mechanisms—not an official finding about these events.
LAPD and Los Angeles Department of Water and Power crews responded in Studio City. FOX 11 said LADWP had not provided a response before publication. The station reported that the driver seen passing the Westchester fire had not been confirmed injured.
Public-safety guidance
Macias advised people to stay away from smoke, popping or crackling sounds coming from underground equipment and call 911. The engineer said vault explosions are uncommon and that routine inspection and maintenance are central to reducing risk.
Original report: FOX 11 Los Angeles →