By Karen Robes Meeks
A combustible fuel or other compound may have caused the explosion of a sealed shipping container inside a terminal storage area at the Port of Los Angeles, according to an initial analysis by the Los Angeles Port Police Hazardous Materials Unit, Los Angeles Police Department Bomb Squad and United States Coast Guard.
Authorities continue to investigate the incident in which more than 100 people were evacuated from Evergreen Shipping terminal Tuesday.
No one was reported to be hurt from the explosion, which occurred shortly after 5:58 p.m.
The 40-foot container bound for Taiwan had been delivered earlier that day with 11 others from a recycling facility on Terminal Island.
The port said the container carried “clean scrap iron or heavy melting scrap only” and was not marked to have hazardous materials.
Port police officials plan to review procedures at the recycling facility while the Coast Guard will review its Facility Security Plan.
