7 missing after California fireworks warehouse explosion sets off blaze

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ESPARTO, Calif. — Seven people were missing Wednesday following an explosion at a fireworks warehouse in rural Northern California that caused a massive fire that spread to farm fields and forced evacuations in the surrounding community, authorities said.

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. It was not immediately clear if those missing worked at the warehouse or lived nearby.

People were urged to avoid the area after the Tuesday night blast, which set off a barrage of fireworks and caused a blaze that led to other spot fires and collapsed the building near Esparto in Yolo County about 65 km northwest of Sacramento.

The cause of the explosion was under investigation.

“The fire will take time to cool, and once it does, explosive experts must safely enter the site to assess and secure the area,” the Yolo County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement late Tuesday.

Syanna Ruiz, 18, told the Sacramento Bee that her boyfriend, Jesus Ramos, and two of his brothers were missing. Tuesday was Ramos’s first day on the job at the warehouse, she said.

“They were all three incredible men who had so much coming for them, that had so much coming their way,” Ruiz said. “I’m just praying to God that some way, somehow, they’re OK.”

The fire was held at nearly 33 hectares after scorching surrounding agricultural fields, officials said.

The property is owned by “an active pyrotechnic licence 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.”

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The state fire marshal’s website listed the license for the facility as belonging to Blackstar Fireworks. The owner who was listed did not respond to an email from The Associated Press requesting comment.

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.