One person has been confirmed dead after Tuesday’s NorCal fireworks warehouse disaster, and now we have the identities of a few of those still missing, and it turns out the name of the fireworks company was Devastating Pyrotechnics.

The fireworks-related news is particularly disturbing this July 4 holiday weekend after Tuesday’s massive explosion at a fireworks warehouse in the Yolo County town of Esparto, 35 miles northwest of Sacramento. As of Thursday morning, the seven people reported missing after the blast are still missing. And you can get a sense of how terribly destructive this fire was in the live KCRA footage below, from the moment when a bad situation became a much, much worse situation.

And we are only beginning to get a sense of the tragic toll, as authorities confirmed one death on Wednesday. “At least one person was killed by the massive blast, according to a law enforcement source familiar with the situation,” the Chronicle reports, “though it was not clear if that person was among the seven [initially] reported missing.”


According to the latest reports, first responders are still unable to enter the site of the warehouse, as the scene is too dangerous. But KTVU has confirmed that the site is owned by a fireworks company that is ironically named Devastating Pyrotechnics.

Screenshot: Devastating Pyrotechnics

Devasting Pyrotechnics is a legal and licensed business, with an active permit to both import and export fireworks. A screenshot of their website shows that they’ve clearly lawyered up at this point. The website simply contains a statement that “Our hearts and thoughts are with those we lost, their families, and everyone impacted in our community. 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."

But there may be recriminations to come for that company, or others. The Chronicle adds that the facility was also used by a firm called Blackstar Fireworks Inc. And while the site is licensed and permitted, the Chronicle says that the warehouse that exploded “was not part of [an] approved storage area.”


As far as the seven people missing, KTVU reports that three of them have been identified by friends or family members: brothers Jesus Ramos (18 years old) Johnny Ramos (22), and Joel Melendez (28). That appears to be the pregnant girlfriend of Jesus Ramos, Syanna Ruiz, demanding answers from local fire department officials in the video above.

Ruiz added that Tuesday had actually been Jesus Ramos’s first day on the job at the fireworks warehouse. "I'm only two months pregnant, but he was so excited," she told KTVU. "That was the main reason why he wanted to start working, was just for our family."


It seems a small concern in this potentially very tragic situation that several communities had to cancel their Independence Day fireworks displays, having lost the very explosives that were supposed to be lit off Friday night. A separate KTVU reprint notes that the displays have been canceled in the Devasting Pyrotechnics client cities of San Jose, Cloverdale, Chico, Lodi, Saint Helena, and the El Dorado County Fair.

This is a developing story and may be updated.

Related: Fireworks Shows Getting Canceled in San Jose and Elsewhere After Yolo County Supplier Explosion, Due to Lost Supplies [SFist]

Image courtesy PG&E