A powerful explosion shook the Californian city of Palm Springs on Saturday morning, killing one person and triggering a major response from police, firefighters and federal investigators.
The blast occurred just before 11 am local time near the junction of North Indian Canyon Drive and East Tachevah Drive. Officials have urged residents to avoid the area as emergency crews work at the scene.
The city confirmed the explosion in a Facebook post, stating that police and fire crews were responding and that the situation remained active. “Palm Springs Police and Fire are currently on scene and request that residents stay away from the area so that emergency crews can work the incident,” the post read.
A law enforcement source told NBC News that one person had died in the explosion. No further injuries were immediately reported, and the identity of the deceased has not yet been released.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has deployed investigators to assist with the inquiry. “They are on their way to help assess what happened,” said ATF spokesperson Nicole Lozano.
The explosion occurred at the American Reproductive Centers fertility clinic. Dr Maher Abdallah, who runs the facility, told The Associated Press that none of his staff were hurt. “I really have no clue what happened,” he said. “Thank God today happened to be a day that we have no patients.” While the clinic’s consultation rooms were damaged, the IVF lab and its stored embryos remained intact.
Resident Nima Tabrizi was nearby at a cannabis dispensary when he felt the blast. “The building just shook, and we go outside and there’s massive cloud smoke,” he said. “Crazy explosion. It felt like a bomb went off..... We went up to the scene, and we saw human remains.”
Images shared on social media showed debris strewn across the street in front of multiple businesses, with people reporting they could feel the blast across parts of the city.
Palm Springs is a popular desert destination east of Los Angeles known for its luxury resorts and celebrity history.
The blast occurred just before 11 am local time near the junction of North Indian Canyon Drive and East Tachevah Drive. Officials have urged residents to avoid the area as emergency crews work at the scene.
The city confirmed the explosion in a Facebook post, stating that police and fire crews were responding and that the situation remained active. “Palm Springs Police and Fire are currently on scene and request that residents stay away from the area so that emergency crews can work the incident,” the post read.
A law enforcement source told NBC News that one person had died in the explosion. No further injuries were immediately reported, and the identity of the deceased has not yet been released.
Car bomb explosion at a Palm Springs fertility clinic pic.twitter.com/RTqNNM5plu
— DramaAlert (@DramaAlert) May 17, 2025
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has deployed investigators to assist with the inquiry. “They are on their way to help assess what happened,” said ATF spokesperson Nicole Lozano.
The explosion occurred at the American Reproductive Centers fertility clinic. Dr Maher Abdallah, who runs the facility, told The Associated Press that none of his staff were hurt. “I really have no clue what happened,” he said. “Thank God today happened to be a day that we have no patients.” While the clinic’s consultation rooms were damaged, the IVF lab and its stored embryos remained intact.
Resident Nima Tabrizi was nearby at a cannabis dispensary when he felt the blast. “The building just shook, and we go outside and there’s massive cloud smoke,” he said. “Crazy explosion. It felt like a bomb went off..... We went up to the scene, and we saw human remains.”
Images shared on social media showed debris strewn across the street in front of multiple businesses, with people reporting they could feel the blast across parts of the city.
Palm Springs is a popular desert destination east of Los Angeles known for its luxury resorts and celebrity history.
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