Police Officers Seriously Burned During Training Exercise

SOUTH GATE (CBSLA.com) — Two police officers -- one from South Gate, the other from Downey -- were hospitalized with burn and blast injuries they suffered during a K-9 training session in South Gate Wednesday night, authorities said.

Fire crews responded about 5:45 p.m. Wednesday to the explosion in the 5600 block of Imperial Highway, between Garfield Avenue and the Los Angeles River, said a Los Angeles County Fire Department dispatcher.

The two officers were injured while conducting a canine training exercise inside an unoccupied commercial building, said sheriff's Deputy Lisa Jansen, whose agency is investigating the incident. The training was not immediately described in detail.

There was also an electrical fire during the training session, resulting in both officers being seriously burned, Jansen said. The officers suffered burns to their faces and upper bodies, authorities said.

The officers were taken to a hospital and were in fair condition this morning, Jansen said, adding they were improving.

The cause of the explosion and electrical fire was under investigation.

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