Palm Springs Police Chief Andy Mills said the blast ‘appears to be an intentional act of violence’.
At least one person has been killed after an explosion near a reproductive health facility in Palm Springs, California, the city’s mayor said.
Palm Springs Police Chief Andy Mills said the blast on Friday “appears to be an intentional act of violence” and that several buildings were damaged, some severely.
“There has been one fatality, the person’s identity is not known,” Mills’ statement said.
The city’s mayor, Ron deHarte, said a bomb was either in or near a car parked outside of the clinic when it exploded, the Reuters news agency reported.
Palm Springs Fire Chief Paul Alvarado said no suspect had been identified.
Authorities said the blast occurred on Saturday around 11am local time (18:00 GMT) near North Indian Canyon Drive and East Tachevah Drive. Police urged residents to avoid the area as fire crews and investigators secured the scene.
Federal agents from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were dispatched to support the local investigation, which remains in its early stages.
The blast damaged the American Reproductive Centers facility, a fertility clinic run by Dr Maher Abdallah. He told The Associated Press that, while his office space suffered damage, the in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) lab and its stored embryos were untouched.
“I really have no clue what happened,” Abdallah said. “Thank God today happened to be a day that we have no patients.”
He added that all his staff were safe and accounted for.
Nearby resident Nima Tabrizi, 37, from Santa Monica, said he was inside a cannabis dispensary when he felt the building shake.
“The building just shook, and we go outside and there’s a massive cloud smoke,” Tabrizi said. “Crazy explosion. It felt like a bomb went off … We went up to the scene, and we saw human remains.”
Palm Springs, a wealthy desert city known for its luxury resorts and celebrity history, is located about 100 miles (161km) east of Los Angeles.
Anurag Dhole is a seasoned journalist and content writer with a passion for delivering timely, accurate, and engaging stories. With over 8 years of experience in digital media, she covers a wide range of topics—from breaking news and politics to business insights and cultural trends. Jane's writing style blends clarity with depth, aiming to inform and inspire readers in a fast-paced media landscape. When she’s not chasing stories, she’s likely reading investigative features or exploring local cafés for her next writing spot.
- ANURAG DHOLEhttps://indiatadkha.com/author/bitlancetechhubgmail-com/
- ANURAG DHOLEhttps://indiatadkha.com/author/bitlancetechhubgmail-com/
- ANURAG DHOLEhttps://indiatadkha.com/author/bitlancetechhubgmail-com/
- ANURAG DHOLEhttps://indiatadkha.com/author/bitlancetechhubgmail-com/
