A massive explosion in a hash oil manufacturing company leaves Los Angeles 11 firefighters injured after they had to run through a 30-foot high wall of fire

• 11 firefighters have been injured after a massive explosion in a hash oil manufacturing company in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday.
• Firefighters, who were inside and on the roof of the one-story commercial building had to evacuate and were forced to run through a wall of flames that was estimated to be 30 feet high and wide.
• Four of the firefighters were taken to a burns intensive care unit while two others were put on ventilators after inhaling superheated gas. All 11 are expected to survive.
• The business where the fire broke out was described as a maker of "butane honey oil," which is a highly flammable gas and is included in vape pens, edibles, and other products.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

An explosion at a hash oil manufacturer in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday left 11 firefighters injured after they had to run through a wall of flames that was estimated to be 30 feet high and wide.

Los Angeles Fire Department Capt. Erik Scott said "one significant explosion" shook the city's Toy District around 6:30 pm, which prompted the department to issue a "mayday call" — a call given when firefighters are missing or trapped.

Firefighters, who were inside and on the roof of the one-story commercial building had to evacuate and were forced to run through a wall of flames.

Some of the firefighters were on fire when they emerged from the building, tearing off their protective equipment and melted helmets, Scott said.

Four of the firefighters were taken to a burns intensive care unit and two were put on ventilators after inhaling superheated gas. The others suffered minor burns. All 11 firefighters are expected to survive.

"This was one of the worst scenes I've seen," Scott said. He described the business as a maker of "butane honey oil," which is a highly flammable gas and is used in vape pens, edibles, and other products, according to the Guardian.

Small butane canisters were later found on the street, officials said. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

According to the Associated Press, the highly flammable butane is used to extract the high-inducing chemical THC from cannabis to create a highly potent concentrate also known as hash oil. The oil is used in vape pens, edibles, waxes, and other products.

The fire was characterized as a "major emergency," as more than 230 firefighters were dispatched. Those who remained at the scene were traumatized by what had happened, fire chief Ralph M Terrazas said.

"You can imagine the amount of emotional stress," he added.

Mayor Eric Garcetti said at a press conference outside the Los Angeles County-University of Southern California Medical Center that the "good news" was that everyone was going to "make it."

When the firefighters arrived at the scene on Saturday evening there was "light to moderate smoke," according to Terrazas, so they entered the building and went on the roof to extinguish the flames — all normal procedures.

But when one firefighter noticed that the heat and pressure inside the building were increasing, Terrazas directed everyone to get out, and just they were evacuating the building it was rocked by the explosion.

Los Angeles Fire Department Medical Director Dr. Marc Eckstein told reporters: "We have every expectation the firefighters will pull through. It could've been much, much worse."

Read the original article on Insider