Sixty homes were evacuated in the Pacoima neighborhood after an explosion from a home rattled the neighborhood.
Mayor Karen Bass said Friday that the sheer amount of explosives found inside the property in the 13000 block of Remington Street is too dangerous to transport out of the neighborhood. Instead, officials will eliminate the dangerous material through what she called "controlled burn."
"All of the options have been examined," Bass said. "Public safety leaders have made it clear that it's unsafe to enter the property due to the dangerous materials inside."
The powerful blast left a 24-year-old man critically injured with more than half of his body seeing the second or third-degree burn, according to LAFD.
Get top local stories in Southern California delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC LA's News Headlines newsletter.
Four dogs were also rescued from the property.
As the LAPD investigates with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, federal officials confirmed that this is a criminal investigation.
"This is essentially a bomb." Kenneth R. Cooper, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF's Los Angeles field office, said. "We are going to use fire, slow methodic burn to alleviate that threat to public safety."
The blast was first reported at around 9 a.m. Thursday as fire crews found the home partially collapsed.
Black powder, used in the making of fireworks, as well as other explosive materials was found on the property, according to police.
"LAPD Bomb Squad continues to try to identify all of the material that is beneath the partially collapsed residence. It's important that all those things are identified before they can proceed with how they're going to continue the cleanup and continue deeming this neighborhood safe," said Kevin Terzes with LAPD.
Local, state and federal law enforcement are investigating to determine what caused the blast. It's unclear if authorities are considering filing any charges against the injured man or anyone else at this point in the investigation.
"Obviously, the well-being of that person is the priority at the moment. But we also are aware that there's potentially illegal materials inside of the home. So once the investigation proceeds a little further, then we'll have some more on that," said Terzes.
Initially, 26 homes had been evacuated, and neighbors have not been informed on when they can return home.
"Boom! Very bad. It was moving like this and shaking the house. It was like a hurricane," said Salvador Del Toro, who lived nearby. "Well, I feel bad because he kicked me out when I don't do nothing, right. See what's going to happen."
The American Red Cross Los Angeles Region has opened an emergency shelter at the Ritchie Valens Recreation Center for the families that were displaced by the explosion.
