Officials in the United States have reported that police and firefighters are currently on site following an explosion in Palm Springs, California. The incident, which took place at approximately 11 am local time on Saturday (4 am Sunday AEST), prompted local authorities to advise residents to steer clear of North Indian Canyon Drive near East Tachevah Drive.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is dispatching investigators to the scene to determine the cause of the explosion, as confirmed by spokesperson Nicole Lozano.
Dr Maher Abdallah, who oversees the American Reproductive Centers fertility clinic where the blast occurred, informed The Associated Press that all staff members are safe and accounted for. While the explosion caused damage to the clinic’s office space used for patient consultations, the in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) lab and all stored embryos remained unharmed. Abdallah expressed his confusion regarding the incident, stating, “I really have no clue what happened. Thank God today happened to be a day that we have no patients.”
Witness Nima Tabrizi, 37, from Santa Monica, described feeling a powerful shake while inside a nearby cannabis dispensary. He recounted, “The building just shook, and we went outside to see a massive cloud of smoke.” Tabrizi added, “It felt like a bomb went off. … We went up to the scene, and we saw human remains.”
Palm Springs, known for its upscale resorts and celebrity history, is located approximately two hours east of Los Angeles and is popular among tourists and locals alike. The investigation into the explosion is ongoing, with authorities working to piece together the events that unfolded during this alarming incident.