Condo Explodes in Mammoth Lakes

Five people hospitalized, cause still unknown

Five people have been taken to the hospital after an explosion occurred at Val d’isere Condominiums on Wednesday, March 22 at approximately 9:23 a.m. According to the Mammoth Lakes Police Department, the incident occurred at 194 Hillside Drive and the cause of the blast was unknown at the time of press. When first responders arrived at the Val d’isere Condominiums, they found a building collapsed next to the pool area where two workers from the condo complex were visible, one needing extraction from the snow and debris. Both workers were transported to Mammoth Hospital for further evaluation. According to the MLPD, a man approached first responders stating that his wife and son were trapped in their residence. In order to reach them, rescuers hiked around the northwest side of the collapsed structure. The son was located in the bedroom area and he was carried out and transported to Mammoth Hospital for evaluation, said MLPD. The wife was located in the kitchen area in critical condition and was transported to Careflight at the Mammoth Yosemite Airport. According to MLPD, a total of five people have been transported to the hospital with

injuries, four men and one woman.

At this time, first responders have reportedly completed their search for possible victims. Fire apparatus is being released, including some Mammoth Lakes Fire Protection District units as well as some of the Mutual Aid Urban Search and Rescue Teams, said MLPD.

Responding agencies included: Mammoth Lakes Fire Protection District,

Santa Fe Springs Fire Department, Pasadena Fire Department, CAL FIRE, San Diego Fire Department, Riverside County Fire, Sierra Lifeflight, Mammoth

Lakes Police Department, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s, CAL OES, Mammoth Mountain Ski Patrol and Eastside K-9s.

Emergency responders are asking people to stay away from the site as building and safety personnel continue to evaluate the surrounding buildings. The area is an active scene, and roads need to be kept clear for emergency vehicles. For incident information contact Town of Mammoth Lakes Public Information Officer Stuart Brown at 760-914-7110.