SACRAMENTO — Illegal activities contributed to a Yolo County fireworks explosion last year that killed seven people, state fire authorities said.
Three brothers were among the seven who died when the warehouse storing the fireworks exploded on July 1, sparking a wildfire that burned 78 acres and forcing nearby evacuations. The explosion happened just after 6 p.m. near County Road 23 and County Road 86A in Esparto, a small, rural town about 37 miles west of Sacramento.
Cal Fire’s Office of the State Fire Marshal led the investigation with assistance from local, state and federal agencies. In a statement, the agency said the report “includes evidence of illegal activities uncovered in the investigation, and has been provided to the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office to determine the next steps.”
Yolo County authorities confirmed they’ve received the report and asked the public for patience as they sort through it. The agency said it would comment at a later time.
State Fire Marshal and Cal Fire Chief Daniel Berlant said the “complex investigation took many turns as new information emerged, but the team diligently followed leads and gathered the facts that form the basis of the report.”
Earlier in the investigation, the agency revoked the pyrotechnics licenses of Kenneth Chee of San Francisco-based Devastating Pyrotechnics Inc. and Craig Cutright of Blackstar Fireworks, who were identified in conjunction with the facility. Cal/OSHA also fined Devastating Pyrotechnics, Inc. $221,000 for 15 citations for safety violations.
Video captured the explosion and showed fireworks whizzing through the air and exploding, smoke pouring from the building and eventually, the massive explosion of the structure itself.
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