Victim Identified in Santa Fe Springs Warehouse Fire
According to Whittier Daily News, the Gardena man killed in a warehouse explosion in Santa Fe Springs has been identified as 31 year old Ji Hoon Oh.
The fire started with an explosion from inside the warehouse. It then spread into a large blaze that took employees and first responders by surprise. The building, a large warehouse with a smaller front office, was operated by Innosys Beauty Care IBS. It was a re-packaging and distribution center for hair salon products.
Authorities have not made available information about the cause of the fire. As of March ninth, an investigation was ongoing with Whittier Police Dept. and Cal OSHA together combing the burned out building for evidence.
Santa Fe Springs Fire Chief Michael Crook, quoted in the article linked above, says “The investigation is ongoing, with the focus being on why there was an explosion, since the warehouse was used as a distribution site and not for manufacturing.”
In the same article, he suggests that large plastic containers used to store beauty products may have accelerated the spread of the fire.
Of the employees present at the the time of the fire, the deceased is the only casualty of the large March 7th fire. One more civilian and one firefighter received treatment at the scene for minor injuries.
The warehouse is described by SFSFD officials as a total loss, but personnel were able to prevent damage to nearby buildings. Innosys Beauty Care IBS has not made public comment as of now, nor have they responded to journalistic inquiries.
