(ESPARTO, Calif.) — Seven people remain missing after a warehouse filled with fireworks exploded Tuesday evening in Northern California, officials said.
The blast occurred at a pyrotechnics facility in Esparto, located in Yolo County, triggering a series of massive explosions that began around 6:02 p.m., according to fire authorities.
“First responders and investigators are working diligently with the property owner to determine the whereabouts of those individuals,” Cal Fire and the Esparto Fire Protection District said in a joint statement Wednesday.
Officials are using drones to assess the area due to ongoing safety concerns.
“We obviously do our best to train for every type of incident, but an incident like this is like a once-in-a-career type of incident,” Esparto Fire Chief Curtis Lawrence said Wednesday at a press conference, adding they couldn’t immediately get close enough to the building considering the risk.
The site remains under evacuation orders as authorities warn of a continued threat to the immediate area. While officials said the risk has decreased since Tuesday, they’re maintaining the evacuation zone until a full safety assessment can be completed.
The press conference Wednesday was also interrupted by an angry family member who said her boyfriend and brother-in-law were in the building.
“We’re all sick to our stomach, and we’re all waiting on the information [officials say] we should receive until Saturday, when I want to know today,” she said.
Cal Fire’s Office of the State Fire Marshal said it believes the facility belongs to a licensed pyrotechnics operator. Investigators are working to determine if the operation complied with California’s strict pyrotechnics regulations and federal explosive storage requirements.
“This type of incident is very rare,” Cal Fire officials said, noting that such facilities must follow stringent safety protocols.
The California Highway Patrol is assisting with security while investigators treat the location as an active crime scene.
“Our hearts and thoughts are with those we lost, their families, and everyone impacted in our community,” the management for Devastating Pyrotechnics, the company that owns the pyrotechnics business, said in a statement. “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.”
Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
