Latest news with #JasonClay
Business Recorder
03-07-2025
- General
- Business Recorder
Seven people missing from massive explosion at California fireworks facility
Seven people were missing after a fire and powerful explosion leveled a commercial fireworks facility in rural northern California, authorities said on Wednesday. Aerial footage from local news media showed the large warehouse-like building blown to pieces Tuesday evening in an enormous, thundering fireball that rocked a wide area around the Yolo County community of Esparto, about 40 miles (64 km) west of Sacramento, the state capital. The blast, belching out a pall of thick black smoke, was followed by a flurry of dozens of smaller explosions flashing in the sky over the site, apparently ignited by the inventory of pyrotechnics stored at the location. Flames spread from the explosion charred about 78 acres (32 hectares) of surrounding vegetation, according to Jason Clay, a spokesperson for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Two people injured in the 'initial event' received medical treatment, and seven other individuals were missing, Curtis Lawrence, fire chief for the Esparto Fire Protection District, told reporters at a briefing on Wednesday, about 24 hours later. The cause of the incident, which occurred three days before the July Fourth US Independence Day celebrations that typically involve fireworks displays, was under investigation by the state fire marshal's office, Lawrence said. Authorities said firefighters and other emergency response personnel were keeping a safe distance from the site as teams continued to make assessments of ongoing risks posed by live fireworks, which continued to go off at random through Wednesday evening. India chemical factory blast toll rises to 40 Teams were flying drones and aircraft over the area seeking to determine the fate of the missing and to monitor lingering hazards, Lawrence said. Authorities declined to say whether the missing were workers from the facility or bystanders, but he said there were no casualties among firefighters or other emergency personnel. 'I can say I have not seen anything like this,' Lawrence said. Asked how authorities would know when it was safe enough to venture further into the site, he said, 'It's tough to get a definitive answer of when that's going to be and what that actually looks like.' An evacuation zone was established around the site, and about 150 homes and farms were without power as a result of the incident, Lawrence said. He described the demolished facility as a licensed pyrotechnics business involving commercial fireworks sold for public display. But it was unclear whether fireworks were merely stored there or also produced on site.
New Straits Times
03-07-2025
- General
- New Straits Times
Seven missing after massive explosion at California fireworks facility
CALIFORNIA: Seven people were missing after a fire and powerful explosion leveled a commercial fireworks facility in rural northern California, authorities said on Wednesday. Aerial footage from local news media showed the large warehouse-like building blown to pieces Tuesday evening in an enormous, thundering fireball that rocked a wide area around the Yolo County community of Esparto, about 40 miles (64 km) west of Sacramento, the state capital. The blast, belching out a pall of thick black smoke, was followed by a flurry of dozens of smaller explosions flashing in the sky over the site, apparently ignited by the inventory of pyrotechnics stored at the location. Flames spread from the explosion charred about 78 acres (32 hectares) of surrounding vegetation, according to Jason Clay, a spokesperson for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Two people injured in the "initial event" received medical treatment, and seven other individuals were missing, Curtis Lawrence, fire chief for the Esparto Fire Protection District, told reporters at a briefing on Wednesday, about 24 hours later. The cause of the incident, which occurred three days before the July Fourth US Independence Day celebrations that typically involve fireworks displays, was under investigation by the state fire marshal's office, Lawrence said. Authorities said firefighters and other emergency response personnel were keeping a safe distance from the site as teams continued to make assessments of ongoing risks posed by live fireworks, which continued to go off at random through Wednesday evening. Teams were flying drones and aircraft over the area seeking to determine the fate of the missing and to monitor lingering hazards, Lawrence said. Authorities declined to say whether the missing were workers from the facility or bystanders, but he said there were no casualties among firefighters or other emergency personnel. "I can say I have not seen anything like this," Lawrence said. Asked how authorities would know when it was safe enough to venture further into the site, he said, "It's tough to get a definitive answer of when that's going to be and what that actually looks like." An evacuation zone was established around the site, and about 150 homes and farms were without power as a result of the incident, Lawrence said.
AsiaOne
03-07-2025
- General
- AsiaOne
7 people missing from massive explosion at California fireworks facility, World News
Seven people were missing after a fire and powerful explosion levelled a commercial fireworks facility in rural northern California, authorities said on Wednesday (July 2). Aerial footage from local news media showed the large warehouse-like building blown to pieces Tuesday evening in an enormous, thundering fireball that rocked a wide area around the Yolo County community of Esparto, about 40 miles (64km) west of Sacramento, the state capital. The blast, belching out a pall of thick black smoke, was followed by a flurry of dozens of smaller explosions flashing in the sky over the site, apparently ignited by the inventory of pyrotechnics stored at the location. Flames spread from the explosion charred about 78 acres of surrounding vegetation, according to Jason Clay, a spokesperson for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Two people injured in the "initial event" received medical treatment, and seven other individuals were missing, Curtis Lawrence, fire chief for the Esparto Fire Protection District, told reporters at a briefing on Wednesday, about 24 hours later. The cause of the incident, which occurred three days before the July Fourth US Independence Day celebrations that typically involve fireworks displays, was under investigation by the state fire marshal's office, Lawrence said. Authorities said firefighters and other emergency response personnel were keeping a safe distance from the site as teams continued to make assessments of ongoing risks posed by live fireworks, which continued to go off at random through Wednesday evening. Teams were flying drones and aircraft over the area seeking to determine the fate of the missing and to monitor lingering hazards, Lawrence said. Authorities declined to say whether the missing were workers from the facility or bystanders, but he said there were no casualties among firefighters or other emergency personnel. "I can say I have not seen anything like this," Lawrence said. Asked how authorities would know when it was safe enough to venture further into the site, he said, "It's tough to get a definitive answer of when that's going to be and what that actually looks like." An evacuation zone was established around the site, and about 150 homes and farms were without power as a result of the incident, Lawrence said. He described the demolished facility as a licenced pyrotechnics business involving commercial fireworks sold for public display. But it was unclear whether fireworks were merely stored there or also produced on site. [[nid:719689]]
Reuters
03-07-2025
- General
- Reuters
Seven people missing from massive explosion at California fireworks facility
July 2 (Reuters) - Seven people were missing after a fire and powerful explosion leveled a commercial fireworks facility in rural northern California, authorities said on Wednesday. Aerial footage from local news media showed the large warehouse-like building blown to pieces Tuesday evening in an enormous, thundering fireball that rocked a wide area around the Yolo County community of Esparto, about 40 miles (64 km) west of Sacramento, the state capital. The blast, belching out a pall of thick black smoke, was followed by a flurry of dozens of smaller explosions flashing in the sky over the site, apparently ignited by the inventory of pyrotechnics stored at the location. Flames spread from the explosion charred about 78 acres (32 hectares) of surrounding vegetation, according to Jason Clay, a spokesperson for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Two people injured in the "initial event" received medical treatment, and seven other individuals were missing, Curtis Lawrence, fire chief for the Esparto Fire Protection District, told reporters at a briefing on Wednesday, about 24 hours later. The cause of the incident, which occurred three days before the July Fourth U.S. Independence Day celebrations that typically involve fireworks displays, was under investigation by the state fire marshal's office, Lawrence said. Authorities said firefighters and other emergency response personnel were keeping a safe distance from the site as teams continued to make assessments of ongoing risks posed by live fireworks, which continued to go off at random through Wednesday evening. Teams were flying drones and aircraft over the area seeking to determine the fate of the missing and to monitor lingering hazards, Lawrence said. Authorities declined to say whether the missing were workers from the facility or bystanders, but he said there were no casualties among firefighters or other emergency personnel. "I can say I have not seen anything like this," Lawrence said. Asked how authorities would know when it was safe enough to venture further into the site, he said, "It's tough to get a definitive answer of when that's going to be and what that actually looks like." An evacuation zone was established around the site, and about 150 homes and farms were without power as a result of the incident, Lawrence said. He described the demolished facility as a licensed pyrotechnics business involving commercial fireworks sold for public display. But it was unclear whether fireworks were merely stored there or also produced on site.
San Francisco Chronicle
26-05-2025
- Climate
- San Francisco Chronicle
Cherry Fire, visible from Interstate 80, burns nearly 50 acres near Vacaville
A wildfire ignited on a dry hillside along Interstate 80 near Vacaville Monday and blackened 49 acres of rolling grasslands before firefighters stopped its growth. Cal Fire spokesperson Jason Clay said the fire broke out just after 1 p.m. on the north side of Interstate 80 near Vacaville. It was visible to motorists. Dubbed the Cherry Fire, the blaze ripped through tall dry grasses and 'moved uphill quickly.' The fire threatened to burn toward homes on Pleasants Valley Road. Dozer drivers cut firebreaks along the fire's edges and aircraft dropped retardant. 'Aircraft were hammering that (northwestern) flank pretty hard,' Clay said. Fire officials said the fire's forward progress had been stopped by about 2:45 p.m. and was about 50% contained. Cal Fire law enforcement officers were investigating the fire's cause.
