More Victims Of LAPD's Botched Fireworks Explosion In South LA File Claims Against City

SOUTH LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) - More victims of the Los Angeles Police Department's botched fireworks explosion in South LA that wounded 17 people and displaced residents in the blast zone have now filed claim for damages against the city.

The massive explosion happened on June 30, after police seized illegal fireworks from a home in the 700 block of 27th Street and attempted to use a total containment vehicle to detonate just 10 pounds of the explosives.

A planned detonation of fireworks seized from a home in South Los Angeles ended up in a large explosion. (CBSLA)

Attorney's representing the some of the victims said they have filed more than a dozen claims, but they have yet to get a response from the city or LAPD.

According to one victim, she and her family are now sleeping in a shoe store they own down the street because they have nowhere else to go.

"This is very, very graphic," Sharen Ghatan with the California Legal Council said of the family's situation. "I mean, if we were even permitted to go inside, you would be very upset. There are children involved, elderly folks involved and someone needs to stand up and speak for them."

According to Michael Alder, an attorney representing several of the South LA families who lived in the blast zone, said that many of victims don't have any choices.

"Some homes are so destroyed that they can't even live in their homes," he said, and added that the city has 45 days to respond to the claims before they move forward with a lawsuit against the city on behalf of the victims.

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