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http://www.kcal.com/Global/story.asp?S=795666
SHERMAN OAKS - A man who apparently caused a massive explosion that destroyed an Encino apartment building died Sunday at the Grossman Burn Center in Sherman Oaks, a hospital spokesperson said.
47 year-old Dennis Cohen died about 11:15 a.m., said Lysa Barry, publicist for the burn center. He had been scheduled to undergo surgery on Monday.
Cohen suffered second and third degree burns over 60 percent of his body and was in critical condition following the 11 a.m. Friday explosion, which initially sparked fears of terrorism.
However, before he died, Cohen told authorities he may have caused the blast by lighting a cigarette after disconnecting a gas stove he was working on.
"He had actually disconnected the gas and went and did something and came back and lit a cigarette and that was the source of the explosion," Capt. Joe Castro of the Los Angeles City Fire Department said Sunday.
Three other people suffered minor injuries and a firefighter was treated for smoke inhalation. The three-story, 140-unit Park Encino Apartments on Newcastle Avenue was destroyed, and some 300 people who lived in or near the building were left temporarily homeless.
As bad as the damage was, authorities said it was a miracle no one died in the blast.
Just days before the explosion, federal authorities warned apartment managers that terrorists might be planning to rent units and rig them with explosives. FBI agents rushed to the scene Friday but soon determined it was unlikely that terrorists blew up the building.
Submitted on 05/28/2002
Submitted by:
Joe Cactus
Reference:
KCAL news LA - 5/28/02
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