By Daniel Larios
Staff Writer

June 11, 2014 – Two men were burned in an explosion and subsequent fire in a building near the Santa Monica Pier Tuesday morning, according to the Fire Department (SMFD). One of the men is in critical condition.

Firefighters responded to a report of an explosion and fire at 1725 Ocean Avenue at 11:48 a.m. Tuesday morning, said Deputy Fire Chief Tom Clemo.

Within three minutes of dispatch, first responders found two contractors with burns due an electrical explosion in a basement area of a five story building they were working on.

One worker was taken to UCLA Westwood Medical Center and hospitalized with critical burns over 40 percent of his body.  The second worker was taken to Santa Monica Hospital to be treated for moderate burns. 

The blast and fire were confined to the basement and were quickly contained.

While providing treatment to the injured workers, firefighters also conducted a search of the affected area, ventilated the structure and denied entry until the arrival of Southern California Edison (SCE) crews. 

The building planned to have a mix of condominiums and businesses but no tenants were there at the time, according to Clemo.

The cause of the explosion and injuries are under investigation by members of SCE as well as California Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Preliminary findings show that the blast apparently involved an electrical panel but the cause is still under investigation.

Additional information can also be found on the SMFD social media sites on Facebook and Twitter.