MORENO VALLEY, CA – A powerful explosion rocked a quiet residential neighborhood in Moreno Valley on Thursday morning, sending shockwaves through the community and leaving two individuals injured. The blast, which occurred around 10:30 a.m., ripped through the garage of a home on Patalan Drive, near the intersection of Alessandro Boulevard and Frederick Street.
According to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, the explosion was traced back to a clandestine drug lab operating inside the garage. The lab was reportedly used to manufacture butane honey oil, a concentrated form of cannabis. The explosion blew off part of the roof, leaving a gaping hole and scattering debris across the property.
Yolanda Ramirez, a neighbor living next door to the affected home, described the moment the blast occurred. “It was just a big blast, like a boom,” she said. “It rattled the house, and I could feel it inside me.” Despite the proximity, Ramirez and her family were unharmed.
Firefighters quickly arrived on the scene, extinguishing the flames that erupted following the explosion. The two individuals inside the garage sustained moderate to severe burn injuries and were transported to a local hospital for treatment. Their identities remain undisclosed, and their connection to the property is unclear.
The incident has left the neighborhood on edge, with residents expressing concern over the dangerous operation taking place so close to their homes. “It’s scary to think something like that was happening right next door,” Ramirez added. “Thank God we’re okay.”
Authorities evacuated nearby homes as a precautionary measure, while Riverside County’s hazardous materials team assessed the site. No other injuries were reported, and several dogs found on the property were safely removed and are expected to be fine.
Investigators are still piecing together the events leading up to the explosion. The presence of pressurized equipment and multiple tanks in the garage suggests a complex operation, though the exact cause of the blast remains under investigation.
As the community grapples with the aftermath, neighbors are left wondering about the extent of the operation and whether other illicit activities might be occurring unnoticed in the area. The investigation is ongoing, with law enforcement seeking to determine the full scope of the illegal lab’s operations.