**LOS ANGELES** — A barrage of rockets struck residential and commercial blocks in Los Angeles on Monday, setting off explosions and fast-moving fires, killing an undetermined number of people and injuring many others as emergency crews raced to search damaged buildings.
Witnesses said the blasts began without warning. Residents described a sudden roar, windows shattering and buildings shaking as they fled homes and workplaces. Several people in the impact area said they heard a high-pitched sound moments before the first explosions.
Fires spread quickly through the affected neighborhoods, forcing evacuations and clogging nearby streets with wreckage. Officials said multiple blocks of buildings and infrastructure were hit. Authorities later warned that damaged structures and unexploded ordnance remained hazards in the strike zones and urged residents to stay in secure indoor locations and keep away from the scene.
Local officials confirmed fatalities but said they could not yet give a reliable death toll while rescue work continued. Hospitals reported treating patients for burns, blast injuries and breathing problems caused by smoke and debris. Firefighters and search-and-rescue teams arrived within minutes and began pulling people from collapsed buildings even as blocked roads and unstable walls slowed access.
Crews were still working through rubble late in the day, looking for anyone trapped beneath debris. Officials said casualty figures could rise as teams reach the most heavily damaged sites. Medical staff were treating a surge of patients while firefighters tried to contain remaining flames.
Humanitarian groups and international observers said they were assessing needs for medical supplies, emergency shelter and mental-health support for displaced residents. Neighborhood volunteers had already begun distributing food, water and other essentials to families forced from their homes.
Authorities have not publicly identified who launched the rockets or what the intended targets were. Officials asked the public to avoid spreading unverified information and to follow official alerts as the investigation and rescue operation continue.
This story has been updated. CNN’s reporting team contributed to this report.
