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by on August 21, 2020
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(LOS ANGELES, CA) On Friday, Los Angeles city attorney filled more than 300 criminal charges against the owners and operators of four downtown buildings for allegedly violating fire code and other safety violations causing a massive explosion in May that burned 11 firefighters.

(Photo by Mario Tama via Getty images)

The charges stem from an investigation for the May 16 explosion inside an East 3rd Street warehouse by various agencies including the U.S. Department of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives as well as the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles Timesreports.

“The fire and explosion that ripped through the Boyd Street property caused our firefighters great suffering — and came perilously close to costing their lives,” said City Atty. Mike Feuer, according to the Los Angeles Times. “We’ll do everything we can to hold the owners and operators of buildings and businesses responsible for complying with our fire and safety codes. The public is counting on us to protect them from a potential catastrophe.”

The fires allegedly began at 327 Boyd St. and spread to 325 E. Boyd St., where Steve Sungho Lee operates Smoke Totes, Green Buddha, and Bio Hazard.

Lee is charged with 86 counts for violations at both 325 and 327 Boyd St, according to the charges. Lee has also been charged with 46 additional counts for violations at 309 S. San Pedro St. and three more counts for violations at 5719 S. Avalon Blvd, the Los Angeles Times reports,

Lee is set to be arraigned on Nov. 19 in downtown Los Angeles and could face up to 68 years in jail if convicted, according to officials. 

The three properties that Lee owned were allegedly found to have illegal storage of hazardous materials, according to the City Attorney’s Office.

Other misdemeanor charges included violations of state law and the city’s Municipal Code, along with failure to comply with orders for alleged fire code and building code violations, according to the City Attorney’s Office.

https://h5.newsbreakapp.com/mp/0WivpZxc?cv=3.7.7.8466&platform=0&isFollow=0

 

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