Latest news with #AngelVoller
Daily Mail
07-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Father-to-be working first day at California fireworks facility found dead after terrifying explosion
A father-to-be who was working his first shift at a California fireworks facility is among seven dead after a terrifying explosion. The body of 18-year-old Jesus Manaces Ramos was pulled from the wreckage of the warehouse explosion in Esparto, California at the weekend - five days after the tragedy rocked the small community. His pregnant girlfriend, Syanna Ruiz, had earlier told ABC 10 that Jesus had taken a job alongside his older brothers, Johnny Ramos and Junior Melendez, to provide a better life for his growing family. All three men were tragically killed on Tuesday when their workplace, Devastating Pyrotechnics, went up in smoke. The blast damaged homes nearby and sparked the 78-acre Oakdale Fire, which led to evacuation orders and burned for four days before it was finally contained. 'He saw it as a new chapter in our life,' soon-to-be mother Ruiz said. 'He was excited. He was a good person, he is a good person.' Jesus' father Jhonny confirmed that his two older sons, Johnny, 22, and Joel Melendez Jr., 28, were also among the missing. According to Joel's mother Lupe Melendez Mendoza, he, too was at work to provide for his growing family. 'I don't know what happened,' his mother said. 'I just know that he loves his had a baby 10 months ago, and she's pregnant.' Angel Voller and Carlos Rodriguez have also been identified by their loved ones as victims of the tragic explosion. Two other victims have not been publicly named. Angel was a keen baseball player and his club paid tribute to him following the tragedy, writing: 'Angel was a fierce competitor and the most loyal friend and teammate you could ever ask for. 'A very humble and respectful young man, Angel contributed greatly to the success of our program in all 4 of his high school years.' The cause of the explosion is still under investigation, and authorities are working with federal agencies to determine what led to the catastrophic incident. Cal Fire's arson and bomb investigation unit is leading the investigation into the mass casualty tragedy. It took some time before authorities could get inside to retrieve the bodies as they worked to 'mitigate hazards' for emergency crews. Yolo County said in a statement: 'The Yolo County Coroner's Division has confirmed that seven individuals previously reported missing in connection with the Oakdale Fire have been located and recovered from the scene.' Work was being carried out to contact next of kin for each of the deceased. 'Crews are continuing to mitigate explosive hazards present at the scene,' the statement continued. 'To support this effort, CAL FIRE and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) National Response Team (NRT) have requested the assistance of regional bomb squads.' The warehouse is known for producing large-scale fireworks displays for major events in the Bay Area. The company, which has been in business for over 30 years, stated in a brief statement that it would fully cooperate with the investigation. Before its website was taken down, it was noted that Devastating Pyrotechnics focuses mainly on display fireworks for large productions, rather than retail products. Devastating Pyrotechnics released a statement on their website that read, 'Our hearts and thoughts are with those we lost, their families, and everyone impacted in our community. 'We are grateful for the swift response of law enforcement and emergency personnel. Our focus will remain on those directly impacted by this tragedy, and we will cooperate fully with the proper authorities in their investigation.' Grief support services are available for anybody impacted by the tragedy.
San Francisco Chronicle
05-07-2025
- San Francisco Chronicle
Northern California fireworks explosion: Two more missing people named
Names have emerged of two more of the seven people reportedly missing since a massive explosion at a Yolo County fireworks warehouse Tuesday triggered a 78-acre fire. A GoFundMe page created by a relative Friday identified 41-year-old Carlos Rodriguez as among those missing since the explosion, Sacramento station ABC10 reported. The page was created by the aunt of Rodriguez's wife, Tiffany Nolan-Rodriguez. 'My heart is in pieces not only for our families, but more importantly my kids that don't have the ability to understand fully of what's going on,' Nolan-Rodriguez wrote Friday in a Facebook post. A Friday Facebook post by CWC Life, a church in Manteca (San Joaquin County), also identified Angel Voller, a member of the church, as having 'tragically passed away' in the explosion. Venture Academy also posted a statement to Instagram this week announcing the 'sudden and tragic passing of Angel Voller.' 'Angel was a fierce competitor and the most loyal friend and teammate you could ever ask for,' the charter school's statement read. Seven people were originally reported missing shortly after the explosion Tuesday. Officials confirmed Thursday that at least one person had been killed by the blast, which also injured two people and forced evacuations within a 1-mile radius. Human remains have since been located at the scene of the blast, county officials confirmed in a news release Friday. Officials have not yet identified any remains or confirmed the number of deceased victims, but sheriff's office spokesperson Lt. Don Hartman previously told the Chronicle he is fairly certain that 'more than one' person had been killed based on the evidence collected so far. Recovery efforts by investigators, coroner personnel and fire crews will continue throughout the weekend, the news release added. Once all remains are recovered, teams will employ rapid DNA testing to identify those killed in the blast. On Saturday, recovery teams began disposing of explosives and removing other hazardous materials from the site, according to a Facebook post from the sheriff's office. Among the others missing are brothers and warehouse employees Joel 'Jr' Melendez, 28, Johnny Ramos, 22, and Jesus Maneces Ramos, 18, who had just begun his first day at work. A GoFundMe page was set up for Melendez's pregnant wife, Maria, and their 11-month-old son. The warehouse belonged to Devastating Pyrotechnics, according to a joint statement by officials from Marysville, Yuba City, and Sutter and Yuba counties. Federal regulators previously denied the company's owner and CEO — 48-year-old Kenneth Chee of San Francisco — the licenses necessary to acquire and possess firearms. The origin and cause of the blast is under investigation by arson and bomb personnel from Cal Fire. Julie Heckman, executive director of the American Pyrotechnics Association, previously told the Chronicle that explosions of commercial grade fireworks, though extremely rare, are generally caused by human error. Devastating Pyrotechnics released a statement Wednesday saying that the company will 'cooperate fully with the proper authorities in their investigation.' 'Our hearts and thoughts are with those we lost, their families, and everyone impacted in our community,' the statement continued. 'We are grateful for the swift response of law enforcement and emergency personnel. Our focus will remain on those directly impacted by this tragedy.' The county has provided impacted families with hotel and food vouchers, as well as access to counseling services, said Yolo County Supervisor Angel Barajas, who represents the district where the explosion occurred. 'Our priority is the families (and) making sure they're comfortable during this investigation,' Barajas said at a news conference Thursday. 'We share our thoughts and prayers with everybody involved in this tragic accident.'
