3 injured in explosion, fire at Los Angeles business

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Three men were injured Saturday in an explosion at a business in downtown Los Angeles, authorities said.

Two of the victims suffered severe burns and were taken to the hospital in critical condition after the blast resulted in a fire at the one-story building, Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey said.

The third man was in fair condition, he said.

Humphrey said some 140 firefighters responded to the scene and knocked down the blaze in an hour. The fire did not spread to other buildings on the block.

The fire sent a huge plume of black smoke that could be seen for miles from downtown.