Palm Springs Fire Chief Paul Alvarado described an explosion outside the American Reproductive Center as “an intentional act of violence.”
Palm Springs Mayor Ron deHarte confirmed “it was a bomb in or near a vehicle parked at the building.”
The explosion harmed “several nearby buildings, including a Desert Regional Medical Center medical office building and a liquor store.”
American Reproductive Centers is a full service center and IVF lab, the only in the Coachella Valley.
The clinic was not open at the time of the explosion.
From The Los Angeles Times:
The blast was reportedly felt more than two miles away and severely damaged the clinic and several other buildings. The incident occurred just before 11 a.m. at North Indian Canyon Drive near East Tachevah Drive, Palm Springs officials said.Photos from the scene showed extensive damage to American Reproductive Centers, a fertility clinic and in vitro fertilization lab across the street from Desert Regional Medical Center. An office building two blocks from the blast had its windows blown out, as did a Denny’s five blocks away.Palm Springs officials said that the explosion came from either inside or near a car parked on Indian Canyon outside the clinic.“The blast appears to be an intentional act of violence,” Palm Springs Fire Chief Paul Alvarado said.Alvarado said one person was killed, and their identity was unknown. ABC 7-TV reported that at least five people were injured.
Dr. Maher Abdallah wrote in a Facebook post “that no members of the team were harmed in the explosion.”
The explosion did not affect the clinic’s “lab – including all eggs, embryos, and reproductive materials.”
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