Stolen Car Blaze in LA Tunnels

0:00A wild police chase in Los Angeles just wrapped up in Highland Park with a stolen Kia bursting into flames inside an underground riverbed tunnel. Minrovia cops were pursuing the driver who ditched the car in the Arroyo Seco near the 110 freeway in Avenue 52, then torched it. Thick smoke poured out of manhole covers blocks away, lighting up the hidden tunnel network right under neighborhood homes. Firefighters from the Los Angeles Fire Department shut down the blaze fast with no one hurt, but the suspect bolted and is still on the run. Turns out these tunnels snaked through the city's drainage system and get used a lot by folks living unhoused, dodging cops or just seeking shelter. Locals are fed up, saying, this ain't the first ride burned down there. It's a pattern that's got everyone on edge about safety in their own backyards. Smoke filling the streets from sewers has folks questioning how deep this underground world goes and why it's turning into a hotspot for stolen cars. Going up in smoke? Now police are hunting that driver, while city officials team up with LAPD and LAFD to tackle these reckless fires and clean up the Arroyo mess.

1:08The mayor's office called it out as dangerous nonsense that Angelinos shouldn't deal with. Expect more coordination to lock down these spots and keep the heat off residents as investigations heat up. Stay tuned for updates on this underground saga. I'm Cory with the story and you've been listening to California News today, AI-powered local news.