Two people are dead following an explosion at a building in Los Angeles Friday morning. Fire officials say the blast was the result of illegal tampering with a gas meter.

The fire department said the partial collapse of a commercial building occurred at 6:15 a.m.

Officials said one person died at the scene because of the explosion and a second person, who was rushed to hospital, had been electrocuted.

There were fears a third person was trapped in the building, but no additional victims were located during a detailed search using police search-and-rescue dogs.