Human remains have been uncovered amid the debris of a firework warehouse, days after it caught fire and exploded, setting off a wild pyrotechnics display over California.
The fire erupted Tuesday at Devastating Pyrotechnics’ storage facility in an Esparto, a mostly rural region in Yolo County, located some 40 miles outside of Sacramento. It resulted in “numerous explosions and numerous wildfires throughout the area,” said Curtis Lawrence, the chief of the Esparto Fire Protection District.
First responders were able to quickly battle back the blazes, but the area continued to burn on Saturday. Fire officials have also warned of explosives still present at the site that require delicate handling.
Kent Porter/The Press Democrat via AP
Fireworks explode at a fireworks warehouse near Esparto, Calif., on July 1. (Kent Porter/The Press Democrat via AP)
In wake of the fiery blast, seven people were declared unaccounted for, but their names have not been released.
In a statement on Friday, county officials said the Coroner’s Division was finally allowed access to the site. They did not say how many sets of remains were found there, only that the families of those still missing had been notified. No positive identifications have been made, the county said.
“Recovery efforts are expected to continue throughout the weekend as investigators, coroner personnel and fire crews work carefully and respectfully through the process,” the statement said.
The cause of the fire at the warehouse remains unclear and an investigation into the matter is ongoing.
With New Wire Services
