At least seven people are still missing after an enormous explosion erupted at a fireworks facility in California, per PEOPLE. The blast occurred at the Esparto facility around 6 PM local time on Tuesday, July 1.
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Explosion Erupts In California Fireworks Warehouse, 7 People Unaccounted For
According to a statement from the Esparto Fire Protection District and the CAL Fire Office of the State Fire Marshal (OFSM), the explosion at the pyrotechnics facility “remains an active incident.” Anyone in the immediate area was told to evacuate, although by Wednesday the risk had diminished.
“Site assessment is ongoing to assess the hazards,” it wrote. “It is the goal to get
residents back to their homes and possibly reduce the footprint of that evacuation zone.”
It revealed that seven people are still unaccounted for as of Wednesday. “First responders and investigators are working diligently with the property owner to determine the whereabouts of those individuals,” it said.
“We have investigators monitoring the area remotely utilizing unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) to assess hazards and further the investigation.” The statement then mentioned that this type of accident is “very rare,” as these facilities must follow strict guidelines to avoid triggering explosives.
The company that owns the warehouse is called Devastating Pyrotechnics. In a statement on their own, the company gave its condolences to the impacted families. “Our hearts and thoughts are with those we lost, their families, and everyone impacted in our community,” it said.
“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.”
Statements Following The Explosion
In another statement on Facebook, the Yolo County Sheriff’s Office also chimed in on the incident. “As many of you are aware, there was a significant explosion earlier today near the Esparto/Madison area, specifically around County Road 23 and County Road 86A,” it said.
“A warehouse storing fireworks exploded and continues to burn. There is still an active evacuation zone in place around the property, and it will likely remain in effect throughout the night.” The sheriff’s office encouraged residents to avoid the area for several days. This way, emergency crews could do their job and make the area safe again.
In a following update, the Esparto Fire Protection District informed citizens that they would prioritize “efforts to gain access to the facility to mitigate hazards with the use of firefighting equipment.” The scene was still hazardous as of Wednesday evening, and they expected explosions to occur throughout the day.