Latest news with #DevastatingPyrotechnics
CNN
5 hours ago
- CNN
Search continues for 7 missing after huge explosion at California fireworks warehouse
Rescue crews were searching on Thursday for seven people still missing days after an explosion at a fireworks warehouse in Northern California shook a tiny farming community and forced the cancellation of nearby July Fourth celebrations. The barrage of fireworks that exploded Tuesday caused a massive blaze that led to other spot fires and collapsed the building in Yolo County about 40 miles northwest of Sacramento. Family members gathered near a sheriff's checkpoint about a mile from the blast site in rural Esparto, hoping for news about their loved ones. Syanna Ruiz, who is pregnant, said her boyfriend, 18-year-old Jesus Ramos, was working his first day at the warehouse when the explosion occurred. Ramos' brothers, 22-year-old Johnny Ramos and 28-year-old Junior Melendez, were also missing, she said. 'I'm just praying to God that some way, somehow, they're OK,' Ruiz told the Sacramento Bee on Wednesday. Two people were treated for injuries, officials said. The cause of the explosion was under investigation. Yolo County Undersheriff Matthew Davis asked family members for their patience during the slow process of making the smoldering site safe for searchers. 'We cannot move forward and risk injury to anyone else on the scene,' Davis said during a briefing Thursday afternoon. 'We appreciate and understand how much you want answers, and we're doing everything we can to bring you that.' The warehouse was managed by Devastating Pyrotechnics, which has more than 30 years of experience designing and producing fireworks shows in the Bay Area, according to a screenshot of its website before it was taken down. The company, with headquarters in both San Francisco and Esparto, focuses mainly on display fireworks for big productions instead of those for retail. 'Our hearts and thoughts are with those we lost, their families, and everyone impacted in our community,' the company said in a statement. 'Our focus will remain on those directly impacted by this tragedy, and we will cooperate fully with the proper authorities in their investigation.' After Tuesday's blast, officials in nearby Sutter and Yuba counties issued a statement calling the company 'a trusted partner and a cherished part of our regional fireworks celebrations.' Living near a fireworks warehouse always means a risk of fire and explosion, said fire investigator expert Richard Meier, but it is especially dangerous when it involves fireworks for large shows. 'You don't want to live in the house right next door,' he said, adding that such large fireworks can 'shoot a quarter of a mile or more.' Meier said anything from a nearby brushfire to workers using equipment that were potential ignition sources could have triggered the explosion. Fireworks being stored too closely in large quantity also could have contributed to the scale of the blast. The company's lawyer didn't immediately respond to question about whether the business was manufacturing fireworks on-site or how many fireworks were stored at the facility. Authorities were working with the property's owner and monitoring the area using drones to find the missing people as small explosions continued late Wednesday, said the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire. The fire was held at nearly 80 acres after scorching surrounding agricultural fields, officials said. 'This type of incident is very rare, as facilities like this are required to not only follow our stringent California pyrotechnic requirements, but also federal explosive storage requirements,' Cal Fire said. Nisa Gutierrez told the Sacramento CBS affiliate KOVR-TV that the blast was so strong it blew open the doors of her home, damaging the door frames. She and her daughter were in their yard and were nearly knocked over as their pony and goats scattered. 'We hear like a big boom, and feel the wave,' Gutierrez said. 'I thought it was a bomb.' Crews including a team with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were working to enable safe access to the site 'to conduct recovery operations and bolster investigative efforts for the explosion investigation,' the statement said. Gov. Gavin Newsom's office said it was tracking what happened and that state ground and air resources were deployed. Officials in nearby Sutter and Yuba counties announced Wednesday that they were exploring alternatives for Fourth of July celebrations after their fireworks were destroyed in the blast. 'This tragic incident is a sobering reminder of the many hands behind the scenes who help create joy for others,' they said in a statement.
CNN
5 hours ago
- CNN
Search continues for 7 missing after huge explosion at California fireworks warehouse
Rescue crews were searching on Thursday for seven people still missing days after an explosion at a fireworks warehouse in Northern California shook a tiny farming community and forced the cancellation of nearby July Fourth celebrations. The barrage of fireworks that exploded Tuesday caused a massive blaze that led to other spot fires and collapsed the building in Yolo County about 40 miles northwest of Sacramento. Family members gathered near a sheriff's checkpoint about a mile from the blast site in rural Esparto, hoping for news about their loved ones. Syanna Ruiz, who is pregnant, said her boyfriend, 18-year-old Jesus Ramos, was working his first day at the warehouse when the explosion occurred. Ramos' brothers, 22-year-old Johnny Ramos and 28-year-old Junior Melendez, were also missing, she said. 'I'm just praying to God that some way, somehow, they're OK,' Ruiz told the Sacramento Bee on Wednesday. Two people were treated for injuries, officials said. The cause of the explosion was under investigation. Yolo County Undersheriff Matthew Davis asked family members for their patience during the slow process of making the smoldering site safe for searchers. 'We cannot move forward and risk injury to anyone else on the scene,' Davis said during a briefing Thursday afternoon. 'We appreciate and understand how much you want answers, and we're doing everything we can to bring you that.' The warehouse was managed by Devastating Pyrotechnics, which has more than 30 years of experience designing and producing fireworks shows in the Bay Area, according to a screenshot of its website before it was taken down. The company, with headquarters in both San Francisco and Esparto, focuses mainly on display fireworks for big productions instead of those for retail. 'Our hearts and thoughts are with those we lost, their families, and everyone impacted in our community,' the company said in a statement. 'Our focus will remain on those directly impacted by this tragedy, and we will cooperate fully with the proper authorities in their investigation.' After Tuesday's blast, officials in nearby Sutter and Yuba counties issued a statement calling the company 'a trusted partner and a cherished part of our regional fireworks celebrations.' Living near a fireworks warehouse always means a risk of fire and explosion, said fire investigator expert Richard Meier, but it is especially dangerous when it involves fireworks for large shows. 'You don't want to live in the house right next door,' he said, adding that such large fireworks can 'shoot a quarter of a mile or more.' Meier said anything from a nearby brushfire to workers using equipment that were potential ignition sources could have triggered the explosion. Fireworks being stored too closely in large quantity also could have contributed to the scale of the blast. The company's lawyer didn't immediately respond to question about whether the business was manufacturing fireworks on-site or how many fireworks were stored at the facility. Authorities were working with the property's owner and monitoring the area using drones to find the missing people as small explosions continued late Wednesday, said the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire. The fire was held at nearly 80 acres after scorching surrounding agricultural fields, officials said. 'This type of incident is very rare, as facilities like this are required to not only follow our stringent California pyrotechnic requirements, but also federal explosive storage requirements,' Cal Fire said. Nisa Gutierrez told the Sacramento CBS affiliate KOVR-TV that the blast was so strong it blew open the doors of her home, damaging the door frames. She and her daughter were in their yard and were nearly knocked over as their pony and goats scattered. 'We hear like a big boom, and feel the wave,' Gutierrez said. 'I thought it was a bomb.' Crews including a team with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were working to enable safe access to the site 'to conduct recovery operations and bolster investigative efforts for the explosion investigation,' the statement said. Gov. Gavin Newsom's office said it was tracking what happened and that state ground and air resources were deployed. Officials in nearby Sutter and Yuba counties announced Wednesday that they were exploring alternatives for Fourth of July celebrations after their fireworks were destroyed in the blast. 'This tragic incident is a sobering reminder of the many hands behind the scenes who help create joy for others,' they said in a statement.
Time of India
16 hours ago
- Time of India
Chico cancels July 4 event after ‘unpermitted' fireworks warehouse explodes
The Fourth of July celebration at the Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico , Northern California, has been canceled following a warehouse explosion that destroyed the event's fireworks supply. According to a press release from Speedway officials, the fireworks were destroyed in an explosion that occurred on Tuesday, July 1, at a warehouse in Esparto, Yolo County. The celebration had been scheduled to feature auto racing followed by a fireworks display. Refunds for all tickets will be processed automatically. Authorities have not released further details about the explosion, but seven individuals remain missing. The fireworks supplier, Devastating Pyrotechnics , issued a statement expressing condolences and confirming their cooperation with investigators. Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Is your tinnitus getting worse? Do this immediately (Watch) Hearing Magazine Undo 'Our hearts and thoughts are with those we lost, their families, and everyone impacted in our community,' the company stated. The law firm representing the company, Douglas Horngrad Law Office, briefed KRCR on the circumstances surrounding the fire and declined to offer further details, citing the ongoing investigation. Live Events Silver Dollar Speedway also extended its condolences to those affected, stating: 'We want to send our heartfelt, sincere wishes as they deal with this destructive disaster.' In light of the cancellation, Chico city officials are reminding residents that all types of fireworks are illegal within city limits, including "safe and sane" varieties. Violations could lead to significant fines and up to six months in county jail. Use or possession of fireworks outside of designated areas such as Oroville, Gridley, and Biggs is prohibited throughout Butte County. For residents still seeking to celebrate, authorities encourage alternatives such as glow sticks, noisemakers, or coordinated drone light displays. Despite the cancellation in Chico, a fireworks show is still scheduled for the evening at Table Mountain Golf Course in Oroville. KCRA 3 Investigation revealed that the Esparto facility, used by the fireworks company Devastating Pyrotechnics, operated on land not zoned for fireworks storage. Yolo County records list the property's zoning as "Agricultural Intensive," specifically for almond production. The Yolo County Planning Commission confirmed no conditional use permit was issued to allow commercial storage at the site. Who is the owner of the Esparto warehouse? The KCRA 3 investigation also reveals that Sam Machado, a Yolo County Sheriff's Office lieutenant, owns the property. The fireworks stored there were for Devastating Pyrotechnics and BlackStar Fireworks, both linked to Craig Cutright, who is listed as the owner of BlackStar and an employee of Devastating Pyrotechnics. Cutright also volunteers with the Esparto Fire Protection District.
New York Times
17 hours ago
- New York Times
Search Begins for 7 Missing After Disaster at Fireworks Warehouse in California
Rescue crews on Thursday began searching for seven people who were still missing two days after a fireworks warehouse in Northern California was decimated in a fire that turned into an explosion. Families of the missing have been on edge ever since the warehouse combusted on Tuesday evening in a largely rural area about 30 miles northwest of Sacramento. The fireworks company, Devastating Pyrotechnics, indicated in a statement that multiple people had died, but local officials have not issued a determination. Search crews, including a team with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, have only just begun to enter the site in Esparto, Calif., because it was deemed hazardous through Wednesday night, with fires burning and explosions still occurring, officials said. The cause is still under investigation. The warehouse contained large pyrotechnics used in aerial displays in Northern California, including for shows that were scheduled for the Fourth of July on Friday. Several cities canceled their fireworks displays after the incident. As of Thursday afternoon, some spot fires had been extinguished and the scene had 'become a little bit safer' for crews to start conducting their work, said Chief Curtis Lawrence of the Esparto Fire Protection District. But officials said it was still too soon to determine what happened to the seven missing people. Officials have not specified whether all seven worked at the facility. Officials 'are doing everything they can to bring you the answers and the closure that you're looking for,' Matthew Davis, the undersheriff of Yolo County, said as he directed his remarks to the loved ones of the victims at a news conference on Thursday. 'We understand this is an incredibly difficult time.' Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
San Francisco Chronicle
17 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
GoFundMe launched for missing father after California fireworks warehouse explosion
As the charred ruins of a fireworks warehouse in Yolo County continue to smolder, families are clinging to hope for the safe return of seven people still missing after a massive explosion Tuesday night. Among the unaccounted is Joel 'Jr' Melendez, a young father and the sole provider for his pregnant wife and their 11-month-old son. A verified GoFundMe page launched by family members describes the anguish of Melendez's wife, Maria, as she awaits news. 'This tragic accident has taken so much from so many, and for Maria, it's shattered her entire world,' the fundraiser states. 'What should be a joyful and hopeful time has instead become filled with fear, uncertainty, and heartbreak.' The explosion, which sent flames and a plume of smoke tens of thousands of feet into the air above the town of Esparto, also left two people injured and forced evacuations within a one-mile radius. The warehouse, operated by Devastating Pyrotechnics, stored commercial-grade fireworks and was being used to supply regional Fourth of July displays, authorities said. According to CBS Sacramento, three brothers from the Bay Area were working at the site when the blast occurred. One of them, Jesus Maneces Ramos, 18, was on his first day. His girlfriend, Syanna Ruiz, said she hasn't heard from him since. She identified his brothers, also missing, as Johnny Ramos, 22, and Junior Melendez, 28. 'They were, all three, incredible men who had so much coming for them, that had so much coming their way,' Ruiz told The Sacramento Bee. 'I'm just praying to God that some way, somehow, they're okay.' Local officials have not confirmed the identities of the missing but say the investigation remains dangerous. Explosions continued Wednesday as firefighters worked to cool the site. Investigators must wait for the area to stabilize before entering. Cal Fire's Jason Clay said in a media briefing Thursday that the facility's owner held valid state and federal licenses for storing explosives. 'Part of our investigation will be to go through and determine the materials that were in there,' he said. Devastating Pyrotechnics released a brief statement on Wednesday night. 'Our hearts and thoughts are with those we lost, their families, and everyone impacted in our community,' it said. '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.'
