Tropos Networks Blog Natural Gas Explosion Rocks LA - Tropos Stays Up Thru Blackout

Recently local and national news covered a massive natural gas explosion that destroyed a building, killed one man and caused severe injuries to another. The explosion occurred in a south Los Angeles industrial area and appears to have been the result of a failed attempt to tamper with a gas meter. One of the video cameras in the area that is connected to a Tropos network recorded the explosion. As the incident is under investigation, the actual video footage has not been released.Susan Levi, director for SLAIT BID (South Los Angeles Industrial Tract - Business Improvement District), the organization that owns and operates the network and video security monitoring for the industrial area stated, "the video footage of the explosion and its after effects is providing the critical information needed for the investigation by LAPD."As a result of the explosion, power was down in the area however, the Tropos network, remained operational as each node had battery backup. This allowed the video camera to capture the actual explosion as well as all the aftermath activities.The Tropos network covers over 2 square miles and supports 64 video cameras, and was commissioned by the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles (CRA/LA) several years ago, and ownership was transferred to SLAIT BID (South Los Angeles Industrial Tract - Business Improvement District for operations. SLAIT BID hired a full-time security monitoring company that monitors and provides security for the SLAIT tract. SmartWave Technologies manages the Tropos and CCTV network for SLAIT BID. SmartWave is a privately held firm that provides the planning, design, integration of wireless neworks, along with the applications that use the network -- such as the video surveillance network in Los Angeles.For more information about the explosion, check out the LA Times article.Denise