At the scene of a fireworks warehouse explosion in Northern California this week that sparked a wildfire and prompted San Jose and other cities to postpone or cancel Fourth of July performances, seven remains were found on Saturday.
In addition to injuring two individuals, Tuesday’s explosion in a rural town in Yolo County, around 30 miles northwest of Sacramento, ignited a 78-acre wildfire and forced evacuations. According to officials, seven more people were reported missing.
On Saturday, Yolo County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Don Harman said that seven people’s bodies had been found at the scene. In a phone interview, he stated that the coroner’s office will identify them through fast DNA testing.
Lieutenant Harman stated that a criminal investigation was ongoing and that investigators will continue their search on Sunday to ensure that no other victims were found.
Since Tuesday, families of the missing have been on edge. Angel Barajas, a Yolo County supervisor who oversees the area where the explosion happened, told The New York Times this week that three of the seven missing are brothers who were employed at the warehouse.
The cause of the explosion is yet unknown, but the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection is in charge of the investigation. The agency has stated that it believes the warehouse was held by an active pyrotechnic license holder and that such incidents are extremely uncommon. The business has not been named.
Devastating Pyrotechnics was the company that ran the warehouse. According to an outdated version of their website, the company claims to have been producing displays in the San Francisco Bay Area and other California venues for more than 30 years. In a statement posted on their website, Devastating Pyrotechnics promised to work with the police.
On Sunday, Douglas Horngrad, a lawyer whose contact details are on the Devastating Pyrotechnics website, stated that he was the attorney for Kenny Chee, the person that many media sources have identified as the company’s CEO.
Mr. Horngrad stated in an email that Mr. Chee is innocent of any misconduct and that he would not speak further until the investigation was finished.
After losing their pyrotechnics in the explosion, a number of cities and counties, including San Jose, the most populated city in Northern California, decided to postpone or cancel their Fourth of July fireworks displays. The cities of Cloverdale and St. Helena, as well as Yuba County, were among them.
