On July 1, a massive fire and explosion destroyed a commercial fireworks facility in rural northern California, leaving seven people missing and two injured, authorities said.
The blast occurred at a warehouse-like building near Esparto, a community in Yolo County located about 40 miles west of Sacramento, Caliber.Az reports, citing Western media.
Aerial footage from local news outlets showed the facility engulfed in a huge fireball that rocked the surrounding area and sent thick black smoke billowing into the sky.
Following the initial explosion, dozens of smaller detonations continued to erupt, sparked by the large inventory of pyrotechnics stored on site. The resulting fire spread to nearby vegetation, burning approximately 78 acres, according to Jason Clay, spokesperson for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Curtis Lawrence, fire chief of the Esparto Fire Protection District, told reporters that two individuals injured in the initial blast had received medical treatment. However, seven others remain unaccounted for nearly 24 hours after the incident. Authorities have not confirmed whether the missing are workers from the facility or bystanders.
Firefighters and emergency teams are maintaining a safe distance due to ongoing risks from unexploded fireworks, which continued to detonate sporadically throughout the evening of July 2. Despite the dangers, no casualties among emergency personnel have been reported.
Officials continue to investigate the cause of the explosion and conduct search efforts for the missing individuals.
By Khagan Isayev
Source: caliber.az
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