Residents in a Boyle Heights neighborhood woke up to the alarming sound of an explosion early Thursday morning that destroyed a box truck, damaged several other vehicles and shattered windows.
The explosion and fire apparently involved a leaking propane tank in the cargo area of the box truck, which was parked on the street in the 900 block of South Grande Vista Avenue. The blast was reported just after 5 a.m.
The blast stunned sleeping residents, who ran outside to find about 10 cars and at least one home with shattered windows.
"We just heard like a loud sound," said resident Karina Ramirez. "My kids have a bunk bed, so we thought one of them had fell. My father and I ran out. Everything was going crazy. All the alarms were on."
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The box truck may have been used in connection with food preparation, the LAFD reported.
"While the specific cause of the fire has yet to be determined, investigators are pursuing the possibility that one of several propane tanks stored within the vehicle may have been leaking," the LAFD said in a statement.
No injuries were reported. The fire did not spread to nearby homes.
