By CHRISTOPHER WEBER and TRÂN NGUYỄN, Associated Press
SACRAMENTO — 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.
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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.
“I’m just praying to God that some way, somehow, they’re OK,” Ruiz told the Sacramento Bee on Wednesday.
People were urged to avoid the area after the Tuesday night blast, which set off a barrage of fireworks and caused a massive blaze that led to other spot fires and collapsed the building in Yolo County about 40 miles (64 kilometers) northwest of Sacramento.
Two people were injured and received medical care, Esparto Fire Chief Curtis Lawrence said at a news conference Wednesday. Lawrence provided no further information other than to say the two were “OK,” and it wasn’t known if the victims worked at the facility.
Emergency crews and investigators were working with the property’s owner and monitoring the area using drones to find the missing individuals, said the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire. It was not immediately clear if those missing worked at the warehouse or lived nearby.
The cause of the explosion was under investigation.
In a statement, the management of the business, Devastating Pyrotechnics, thanked law enforcement and emergency personnel for their swift response.
“Our hearts and thoughts are with those we lost, their families, and everyone impacted in our community,” the statement said. “Our focus will remain on those directly impacted by this tragedy, and we will cooperate fully with the proper authorities in their investigation.”
The property is owned by “an active pyrotechnic license holder,” Cal Fire said in a statement Wednesday. “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.”
The fire was held at nearly 80 acres (33 hectares) after scorching surrounding agricultural fields, officials 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.”
The scene remained hazardous, with explosions continuing into the evening on Wednesday, Cal Fire said in a statement. 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.
“The State Fire Marshal has sent an arson and bomb investigation team, and stands ready to provide additional support as needed,” the governor’s office said on the social site X.
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.
“Devastating Pyrotechnics has been a trusted partner and a cherished part of our regional fireworks celebrations,” the Yuba-Sutter officials said in a statement. “This tragic incident is a sobering reminder of the many hands behind the scenes who help create joy for others.”