Metro Bus Explodes on Video in Chaos of Dodgers World Series Win
Authorities in Los Angeles had their hands full, to say the least, after the Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees on Wednesday night to win the team's eighth World Series title in franchise history, and their first since 2020. As the chaos spilled into the city streets, looters ransacked stores and in one instance, set a Metro bus on fire.
The Los Angeles Police Department reported that a "hostile crowd" had surrounded an MTA bus in the Echo Park neighborhood near Sunset Boulevard around 12:30 a.m. on Thursday and attempted to set it on fire. Before the bus exploded in flames, unruly fans were seen tagging the outside with spray paint and climbing on top of it.
In footage that has since surfaced on social media from the Film The Police LA X account, flames could be shooting out of the bus with some vague popping sounds in the background. A few fans could be heard chanting "Let's go Dodgers!" even as fire trucks could be heard wailing in the distance.
Around two minutes and 15 seconds into the video, the bus suddenly exploded, which caused the crowd to cheer and celebrate. Within minutes, there was nothing left but a charred shell.
MTA bus exploded. pic.twitter.com/D3EJEqF03X
— Film The Police LA (@FilmThePoliceLA) October 31, 2024
The same account likewise posted video of some of the mayhem leading up to the bus exploding into flames. The cause of the blaze was apparently fireworks being shot into the bus, which explains the popping sounds.
Fireworks set the bus on fire. pic.twitter.com/FDq5sqhtc7
— Film The Police LA (@FilmThePoliceLA) October 31, 2024
Incredibly, no one was injured in the incident. According to ABC 7 Eyewitness News, Metro officials said the bus operator and five passengers had been on board but were able to evacuate before the bus was set on fire. "Metro is disappointed and angered by the senseless act of vandalism on one of our buses following the Dodgers World Series Win earlier this evening," the agency said in a statement.
The city is planning a parade to celebrate the Super Bowl victory on Friday starting at City Hall. Hopefully the aftermath of the parade will be less eventful than that of the game itself.