Brian Humphrey

Teen Likely Brain Dead from Near-Drowning in Public Pool; Family Questions Lifeguards' Actions

Anandre Thomas, a 17-year-old who nearly drowned on Sunday in a public swimming pool, is on life support and likely brain dead, his family told KCAL9. The incident happened Sunday afternoon at a pool in the county-owned Jesse Owens Community Regional Park east of Inglewood. Los Angeles Fire Depart ... More >>

Birds, Fish, Guinea Pigs Die in Hollywood Pet Store Fire

"Several" birds, mice, guinea pigs and fish died in a pet store fire in East Hollywood today, the L.A. Fire Department states. LAFD spokesman Brian Humphrey noted "there can sometimes be thousands of animals in a pet store." In this case, the LAFD stated, "flames raced overhead" and the retailer wa ... More >>

Fiery 9 Car Crash That Killed 1 In South L.A. Might Have Involved Shooting

One person was killed in a 9 car crash that might have involved both street racing and a shooting. Yep. As many as four others, possibly including a bicyclist, appeared to have been injured in the collision at Broadway and Manchester Avenue, according to police and reports:

Missing And Injured Hikers A Plague For SoCal Rescuers

It's missing- and injured-hiker season in Southern California. The story of teenagers Kyndall Jack and Nicholas Cendoya, rescued after three nights in the Orange County wilderness, is one of several this spring involving hikers who pushed their GPS systems or bodies too far afield. A teenage hiker d ... More >>

Crazy Hollywood Bus Crash Injures Mother, Daughter in BMW, Many Passengers

As many as 33 people were injured when a driverless dump truck rolled into a Metro bus which then careened into a woman driving her preteen daughter in a BMW in Hollywood today, authorities said. That driver seemed to get the worst of it, with the L.A. Fire Department's Brian Humphrey saying she ha ... More >>

9/11 10-Year Anniversary Observed in Los Angeles

Today marks the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the United States. Last year the LAPD was staffed at "full strength" as a precaution. This year Officer Cleon Joseph told us it wasn't clear what the department's plans were, though we'd expect much of the same. In the meantime the L.A. Fire ... More >>

Jason Shmelnik, Dancing With The Stars Veteran, Dies With Two Others in Valley Crash

One of three young people who died in a fiery crash over the weekend was identified in reports as Jason Shmelnik, a 21-year-old who had performed as a youth on Dancing With the Stars' "Champion Kids" competition in 2007. He was not driving when the BMW he was in careened out of control, reportedly ... More >>

Earthquake Measuring 3.3 Jolts Beverly Hills, Westside

A strong jolt of an earthquake hit L.A.'s Westside early on the Labor Day holiday. The temblor at 3.26 a.m. measured 3.3, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It felt strong in some parts of Los Angeles early Monday:

Sunset Boulevard Shotgun Blast Report Brings Out LAPD; No Injuries Reported

Updated at the bottom with three arrested and a bomb squad called out. First posted at 3:42 p.m. A man with a shotgun reportedly fired at construction workers in Hollywood today, but it appears no one was hit, police told LA Weekly. Cops were called to the 6600 block of Sunset Boulevard near Sewar ... More >>

Pool Service Truck Crashes in Encino, Unleashes Toxic Chlorine Gas Onto Ventura Boulevard

This out-of-control heat wave, combined with our usual traffic mayhem, has made it hard out there for a pool guy on the streets of L.A.: Brian Humphrey of the L.A. City Fire Department says that over the last week, two separate car crashes involving pool-service vehicles have resulted in dangerous ... More >>

Four Dead After Minivan on 134 Freeway Bridge Flips Onto Eagle Rock Street

Updated at the bottom with a fourth fatality. The headline was edited to reflect this. First posted at 8:01 a.m. Three people, including a child, died when a minivan flipped over on the 134 freeway in Eagle Rock and sailed off a freeway bridge and onto Figueroa Street below on Sunday, according to ... More >>

Cher Lloyd's Teen Vogue Crowds Hit The Grove: Youths Fall Ill in 93 Degree Heat

A Teen Vogue fashion event featuring X Factor singer Cher Lloyd brought screaming teen girls to The Grove shopping center in 93-degree heat, prompting five young people to fall in and require medical treatment. The incident was reported about 1:39 p.m. as a "large crowd" gathered to check out the e ... More >>

Metro Bus Crash on Venice Boulevard Reportedly Sends a Dozen to Hospital

A Metro bus was involved in a dramatic three-vehicle crash near downtown Culver City around 5:45 p.m., according to the L.A. City Fire Department. "Holy shit!" Tweeted L.A. resident Victor Flores. "Just seen some dude cause an accident then drive into a bus." KTLA footage showed the nose of a shiny ... More >>

HARD Summer Festival Sees 105 Arrests, 9 Felony Collars For Drugs

See also: *Pictures, some maybe NSFW, from the HARD Summer festival. There were 105 arrests at the HARD Summer festival downtown over the weekend, officials told the Weekly. Authorities listed those as "arrests" but it would appear that most involved citations in which suspects were released on the ... More >>

Avalon Fog Machine Malfunction at Midnight Red Show Sends 6 to Hospital

The horror. A fog machine malfunctioned at a Midnight Red concert that doubled as a pre-party for the Teen Choice Awards at Avalon Hollywood, sending six to a hospital, officials said. Fog enveloped the crowd and a chemical from the machine apparently burned a few club-goers leading to some pandem ... More >>

Three Horses Die in Stable Fire in Unincorporated South L.A.

Three horses and one goat died in a stable fire in the unincorporated Athens area of South Los Angeles last night, according to the L.A. Fire Department. What were horse stables doing in such an urban area (right around the corner from the Rio Gentlemen's Club)? It's not clear. We found a Google Ma ... More >>

Possible Laughing-Gas Explosion Behind L.A. Meat Market Kills 1, Injures 3 More

What was going on behind the Bembis Meat Market last night? A dramatic explosion around 6:30 p.m. in "a building tucked behind" the market, located just south of downtown Los Angeles, killed one and sent three more to the hospital with serious injuries, according to CBS News. The Los Angeles Times ... More >>

East Valley High Teacher Reportedly Mistakes Sulfuric Acid for Nitric Acid; Chaos Ensues

The entirety of East Valley High School in North Hollywood was evacuated this afternoon when a science teacher reportedly got her chemicals confused. According to Brian Humphrey at the L.A. City Fire Department, various witnesses and parents are saying that the teacher mistook sulfuric acid for nit ... More >>

L.A. Firefighters Reveal Devastating Effects of Budget Cuts on Anonymous Blog

Although Firegate just erupted in the public square this week, local firefighters have been watching the downward spiral of their Los Angeles City Fire Department with every whack to its budget. An anonymous blog called LAFDDeployment.com was created in summer 2011. It encouraged firefighters to...

Karma? Fed-Ex Truck Crashes Into L.A. Metro Bus, Just Miles From Occupy's Fed-Ex Protest

Good Jobs LA​Conspiracies! On this suspiciously nice-weathered morning in Los Angeles, a freak accident between a Fed-Ex truck and a Metro bus has blocked Van Nuys Boulevard in Panorama City. The crash occurred mere hours before a big union- and Occupy L.A.-vetted protest of Fed-Ex (and othe ... More >>

L.A. Wind Fans Occidental College Fire as Students Evactuated: Power Outages Reported Across Region

Updated at the bottom with the fire out. First posted at 1:24 a.m. Among the wind-related calamitous happenings overnight, including trees into homes and power outages far-and-wide, was a grass fire on and around the Eagle Rock campus of Occidental College, President Obama's alma mater. You gotta ... More >>

Pacific Palisades Brush Fire Breaks Out

LAFDThe Pacific Palisades "brusher."​Updated at the bottom: The LAFD quickly nipped this one in the bud. First posted at 12:29. Off-shore winds. "Red-flag" fire warnings. And now this: A brush fire has broken out in Pacific Palisades and was threatening at least one home. Do arsonists pay ... More >>

Explosion at Pacoima Commercial Building Injures Employees, Takes Out Roof

Google Maps​Updated at the bottom with news that the owner had been cited by California workplace health authorities in the past. First posted at 4:43 p.m. A large explosion seriously injured at least four people and took out a good part of a commercial building in Pacoima today, according to ... More >>

Hard Summer Festival Near Downtown Sees 31 Medical Emergencies, 10 Arrests

Gary RichardsHard Summer, like it says.​Updated at the bottom with the arrest number revised upward. See our Hard Summer slideshow here. First posted at 8:03 a.m. on Monday. The Hard Summer Music Festival on Saturday saw sixteen hospitalizations and 31 medical emergencies, according to a stat ... More >>

Toddler Loses Finger on Escalator at Van Nuys Courthouse: It's Reattached by Doctors

A kid's worst nightmare came true in Van Nuys.​Kids seem to have an unnatural fear of escalators. But maybe not. This week a 17-month-old got on of his fingers caught in an escalator at the courthouse in Van Nuys. The finger was severed in the 8:51 a.m. accident Tuesday at 14400 Erwin St., sa ... More >>

Apparent Mexican Federal Police Jet Skids Off Runway at Van Nuys Airport

KTLA News.A Mexican mystery jet skidded off a Van Nuys Airport runway.​A stealth-looking private-style jet with the markings of the Mexican federal police on its side ran off a runway at Van Nuys airport Friday afternoon. A KTLA News helicopter captured images of the jet's "Policia Federal" m ... More >>

62 Medical Emergencies, 25 Arrests Related To New Year's Eve Rave '#TAO' At L.A. Sports Arena

christinaaabla'Together As One' goes off at the Sports Arena.​Updated after the jump with a statement from the event's co-promoter. First posted at 2:31 p.m. Saturday. See a video clip about 2010's megarave controversies here. Ecstasy-fueled parties at public venues like the L.A. Sports Arena ... More >>

Jackson Roddy, 18-Year-Old USC Student Who Attended Rave-Like 'Hard' Party, Critical After Six-Story Fall

Timothy NorrisGirls and guys at Hard.​Updated after the jump with reaction from the promoter. First posted at 12:22 p.m. See our slideshow of Hard Haunted Mansion here. You try to throw a good party, but there's always someone who goes a little too far. In this case, a USC student apparently ... More >>

Overturned School Bus Reported In Boyle Heights Outside First Street Elementary School

NBCLA via TwitpicOne person died in a Boyle Heights collision involving a school bus.​Updated after the jump with information about a third suspect. First posted at 3:29 p.m. One person was killed and 50 about 21 38 18 others sustained minor to moderate injuries in a three-vehicle collision ... More >>

Sound Of Gunfire, Then Flames At Koreatown Apartment Building

Ted Soqui​Updated with the fire department stating that the fire was electrical. First posted at 11:35 a.m. Check out Ted Soqui's slideshow of shots from the scene. The cracking sound of gunfire proceeded a fire at a Koreatown apartment building Friday morning, according to KNX 1070 Newsradi ... More >>

American Apparel Worker Dies On The Job Downtown

americanapparel.net​Updated after the jump with information from the corner's office. Originally posted at 11:31 a.m. When it rains it pours for American Apparel, even in summer. First speculation about possible bankruptcy, shareholder lawsuits and a possible boot from the New York Stock exch ... More >>

Mike Penner's Difficult Life

Drownings And Near Drownings Reported Amid Southern California Summer Heat

Google MapsVenice Breakwater.​A fisherman died as he was fishing on the rock pile known as the Venice Breakwater over the weekend, reportedly as he bent down to wash his hands in the ocean. He fell in and people flagged down police about 11 p.m. Saturday, according to Fox 11 News and other rep ... More >>

Fire Breaks Out In Sepulveda Pass Next To 405 Freeway [Updated]

​[Updated throughout]: In what seems to have become a spring-and-summer tradition in Los Angeles, a two-acre fire broke out Monday in the Sepulveda Pass along the 405 freeway near Skirball Center Drive, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. About 110 firefighters and three helicopter- ... More >>

LAPD Declares 'Unlawful Assembly' As Crowds Amass Near Staples Center Following Lakers Victory

​[Updated at 10:55 p.m.]. Some fans were starting to get out of control Thursday night following the Lakers' 83-79 win over the Boston Celtics. A few people appeared to have been beaten up as unruly men gathered at Flower Street and Olympic Boulevard near Staples Center. Some hooligans attacke ... More >>

Macabre Corvette Crash Kills Four In Van Nuys

Google Maps​Mangled victims and car parts were spread along a half-mile stretch of Roscoe Boulevard in Van Nuys after a late-model Corvette, thought to be speeding, veered out of control and crashed, killing all inside. "Remains of four persons have been discovered at scene," Los Angeles Fire ... More >>

Evacuations Ordered For Several Foothill Communities (UPDATED)

National Weather Service​Authorities ordered 64 households in the Paradise Valley area of La Canada-Flintridge to evacuate as storm-caused mud flows threatened a neighborhood above 2524 Ocean View Boulevard. Evacuations of 83 residences in the Riverwood Ranch, Alpine Village, Zachaou Canyon, H ... More >>

Cell Phones Crash in a Modest LA Quake

For an hour or longer, hundreds of thousand of residents of the Los Angeles Basin lost their cell phone service, following a very moderate earthquake that left little damage in most of the areas that felt it. Swaying chandeliers in the City Council Chambers downtown, vitamin bottles leaping off the ... More >>

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