Fairfax Explosion Spawns Bill

David Roberti, president pro tem of the state Senate, held a news conference with Mayor Tom Bradley across the street from a shattered Fairfax shopping district store on Friday to announce introduction of legislation aimed at avoiding future methane gas explosions.

Under Roberti’s proposal, the state oil and gas division would be required to pinpoint all abandoned oil and gas wells in Los Angeles and develop a strategy for extracting accumulated gas to prevent dangerous buildups.

“Seventy-five people were in the Ross Dress for Less store when the explosion occurred,” Roberti said in a prepared statement. “Even though 22 people were injured, we were very lucky that the personal and economic damage weren’t a lot worse.”

100 Businesses Closed

The Los Angeles Democrat noted that the explosion forced closure of more than 100 businesses and caused a loss of millions of dollars in income. He said that the state Office of Emergency Services is working with the City of Los Angeles and the federal Small Business Administration to assess the economic impact.

“If they find that the situation warrants,” Roberti said, “the SBA can issue economic injury disaster loans to assist those businesses which suffered economic loss due to this terrible disaster.”

Bradley said he had ordered the city’s Office of Small Business Assistance to help merchants determine if they qualify for disaster aid. He suggested that those with questions call (213) 485-6142.