A warehouse packed with fireworks erupted in a massive explosion on Tuesday evening, sending a towering plume of grey smoke into the sky forcing evacuations across parts of rural Yolo County, in northern California.
According to the Yolo County Sheriff’s Office, the explosion happened near County Road 23 and County Road 86A, close to the communities of Esparto and Madison.
A mandatory evacuation zone was ordered within a one-mile radius of the fire while emergency responders rushed to contain the blaze that saw fireworks uncontrollably firing off in all directions, just days ahead of the July 4 holiday.
The Solano County Office of Emergency Services confirmed the site involved a fireworks facility, while Cal Fire’s Sonoma-Lake-Napa unit reported ground and air resources were working to stop the fire from spreading into surrounding fields close to Highway 16 and Oakdale Lane.
‘Our Public Safety Partners are currently investigating the cause of the large explosions near the Esparto area,’ Winters police said in a social media statement shortly after 6pm.
Roads in the area were shut down as multiple agencies converged on the scene.
Videos posted to social media showed a massive column of smoke billowing thousands of feet into the air, visible for miles around.
Officials have not yet said what triggered the explosions, and there was no immediate word on injuries.
‘At this time, the cause of the explosion remains unknown,’ the Sheriff’s Office said, adding that updates will be shared as the investigation continues.
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