04-07-2025
Fireworks explosion: Officials expect several dead as officials sift rubble for human remains
Human remains were found at the site of a major explosion this week at a fireworks factory near Esparto, Yolo County Sheriff's Office confirmed Friday.
In a press release, the sheriff's office said they had not yet identified the remains and did not specify how many people were confirmed dead, though Sheriff's Office spokesperson Lt. Don Hartman told the Chronicle that he was fairly certain that 'more than one' person had been killed based on the remains recovered so far.
Seven people were reported missing shortly after the explosion. By Thursday, officials said at least one person had been killed in Tuesday's blast, which also triggered a 78-acre fire.
By late Friday morning, coroners were still trying to locate additional bodies, though their efforts were hampered by the risk of igniting any dormant pyrotechnics that remained. The scene looked like 'devastation,' Hartman said, with rubble and debris everywhere and lingering 'hot spots' of fire.
Once all remains are recovered, teams will employ rapid DNA testing on them to identify those killed in the blasts.
The incident, which is being called the Oakdale Fire, began around 5:50 p.m. on Tuesday after a commercial fireworks facility ignited. The flames quickly spread to the warehouse containing the pyrotechnics, triggering a massive fireball embedded with popping fireworks and an enormous plume of smoke billowing more than 10,000 feet into the air.
Among the missing were brothers and warehouse employees Joel 'Jr' Melendez, 28, Johnny Ramos, 22, and Jesus Maneces Ramos, 18, who'd just begun his first day. A GoFundMe page was set up for Melendez' pregnant wife, Maria, and their 11-month-old son.
The warehouse belonged to a company called Devastating Pyrotechnics, according to a joint statement by Marysville, Yuba City, and Sutter and Yuba counties. Archived versions of the company's website describe it as having 30 years of experience producing pyrotechnic displays across California.
Arson and bomb investigators from CAL FIRE are leading the investigation into the origin and cause of the explosion.
