Who investigates fireworks explosions like the one in Esparto, California?
How common are fireworks-related explosions and who investigates them?
How common are fireworks-related explosions and who investigates them?
Seven people remained unaccounted for after multiple explosions caused a fire at a California fireworks facility in the Yolo County town of Esparto on the first day of July.
The explosions occurred at a business called Devastating Pyrotechnics. It rocked the surrounding community, with some residents in the area saying that they felt their homes shaking as if an earthquake had occurred.
After what happened in Esparto and the large response that followed, CBS News California looked back at another large fireworks-related explosion in California to get an idea of how the investigation in Yolo County may develop.
Who regulates fireworks and investigates these explosions?
Fireworks, like those responsible for yesterday's explosion, are regulated by both the state fire marshal and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF).
ATF is responsible for investigating explosions like these. You may remember a fireworks explosion in 2021, where the Los Angeles Police Department detonated a truck full of fireworks, leading to widespread damage.
Following that investigation, ATF produced this detailed 51-page report. We obtained a redacted copy of that report, which includes witness statements, photos, still images from nearby surveillance cameras and diagrams.
We can expect a similar investigation following the explosions in Esparto. However, based on past timelines and ATF investigations, it will likely be a couple of months before anything is completed or released.
How common are fireworks-related explosions like these?
CBS News California analyzed federal explosion data from 2023 and found that fireworks were responsible for more than 50% of all explosions reported to the ATF over the previous five years, where there was a known cause.
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