DRAMATIC footage shows fireworks exploding in a neighborhood on the eve of July 4 celebrations, leaving a row of homes engulfed in flames.
Smoke was seen billowing into the sky and sparks were raining down on the local area following the shock blast.
One woman, 33, has been rushed to the hospital in a critical condition, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.
Four homes caught fire and more than 130 firefighters tackled the blaze.
Los Angeles fire crews described the blaze as a “major emergency.”
Footage acquired by the CBS affiliate KCAL-TV captured flashes of color amid billowing black smoke that filled the sky in Pacoima, roughly 23 miles from Los Angeles.
Shocking footage showed flames gutting the inside of homes, while sparks rained down on the neighborhood.
Winds in the area caused flames to shoot out of windows, forcing firefighters to take extra precautions.
Crews resorted to using water hoses in a bid to dampen down the flames.
Bomb squads and hazmat teams were also deployed to the scene.
Officials revealed the fire was extinguished by 10pm local time – around an hour after rushing to the scene.
Another woman, 66, was treated at the scene but she refused to go to the hospital for treatment.
A dog was injured and was taken to a local veterinary hospital.
A spate of fireworks incidents have been reported in the run-up to the Fourth of July.
Only fireworks described as safe and sane are legal in California.
Fireworks that go up in the air, shoots across the ground, or explode are illegal, according to the Sacramento Metro Fire.
Those caught flouting the laws could be slapped with a $1,000 fine for a first offense.
One man was killed after fireworks accidentally exploded in Simi Valley – located around 40 miles from downtown Los Angeles.
Ventura County fire crews revealed that fireworks detonated inside a garage.
The fire then spread to the attic and other areas of the property.
Locals recalled the horror that unfolded.
“I could see the garage had collapsed,” Thomas Kudlick told the ABC affiliate KABC-TV.
Residents said debris was sent flying as a result of the impact of the blast.
The blasts come days just after a firework explosion ripped through a warehouse in northern California.
The flames spread through an estimated 80 acres of surrounding land.
