4 Hurt in Utility Explosions at Southern Calif. Oktoberfest

Two firefighters and two civilians suffered minor injuries Saturday after an electric explosion at the Old World Village's Oktoberfest celebration in Huntington Beach, California, near Los Angeles, authorities said.

Fire crews were called to investigate an electrical fire and went to investigate an underground vault, the Huntington Beach Fire Department said. When they opened the vault, there was an explosion, the HBFD said.

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Witnesses at the scene claimed there were actually three explosions. 

Fire crews called for help from the fire crews at around 8:19 p.m., the HBPD said.

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"When [firefighters] got here to the restaurant, they were guided to what we're being told was an underground electrical vault," Battalion Chief Jeff Lopez of Huntington Beach Fire Department told KNBC. "When they went to access that vault, there seemed to have been an explosion of some type and that repeated again maybe a minute later."

The explosion took place in the 7500 Center Avenue.

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Newschopper4 Bravo observed at least two firefighters on stretchers and a crowd of people evacuated, including people dressed in traditional German attire.

Photo Credit: @kylen1972

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