A report of a package exploding in the back of a UPS truck in the San Fernando Valley was actually an accidental discharge from a fire extinguisher, officials said.
Initially reported by authorities as an explosion, the incident happened around 10:15 a.m. Thursday morning in the Winnetka area, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
A delivery driver was near the intersection of Winnetka Avenue and Runnymede Street when a package, according to UPS, fell and discharged.
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A chemical fire extinguisher in the back of a UPS truck accidentally discharged in the Winnetka neighborhood of Los Angeles on June 5, 2025. (KTLA) -
A chemical fire extinguisher in the back of a UPS truck accidentally discharged in the Winnetka neighborhood of Los Angeles on June 5, 2025. (KTLA)
The driver told paramedics on scene that he inhaled an unknown substance following the blast, which prompted the response of a hazmat crew.
The Los Angeles Fire Department and paramedics responded to the scene. The driver was evaluated at the scene and declined transportation to the hospital.
The public was urged to avoid the area while crews were on the scene.
Hazmat crews later determined that it was a dry chemical fire extinguisher that caused the initial scare.
