LAX People Mover: Electrical Blast Captured on Video During Test Run

The Los Angeles International Airport People Mover project faced a setback when a recent test run ended in a visible electrical discharge. Newly released footage shows a train in motion before a large blast occurs near the vehicle.

Sources provided the video to ABC7’s 7 On Your Side Investigates unit. The recording appears unaltered according to the individual who shared it, though Los Angeles World Airports noted that altered content has been circulating online. LAWA confirmed an arc flash occurred late last month but could not definitively verify the specific clip.

Internal documents previously given to lenders detail four distinct arc blast incidents. Three of these events took place on Sept. 23, with a fourth occurring on Sept. 25. An arc blast is the technical term for an electrical explosion caused by a fault in the power system.

LINXS, the contractor responsible for the build, addressed the incidents in a statement. The company claimed there is no defect in the installed electrical system. It stated that the system responded as designed and that passenger vehicles sustained no damage.

Repairs related to the blasts are now complete, and testing has resumed. LAWA indicated the earliest possible opening date for the public is early next year. The project broke ground in 2019 with an original target opening of 2023.

LINXS remains committed to finishing the transit line. The video and documents provide a timeline of the technical issues that delayed the project’s final testing phase.