A father-to-be who was working his first shift at a California fireworks facility is among seven dead after a terrifying explosion.
The body of 18-year-old Jesus Manaces Ramos was pulled from the wreckage of the warehouse explosion in Esparto, California at the weekend – five days after the tragedy rocked the small community.
His pregnant girlfriend, Syanna Ruiz, had earlier told ABC 10 that Jesus had taken a job alongside his older brothers, Johnny Ramos and Junior Melendez, to provide a better life for his growing family.
All three men were tragically killed on Tuesday when their workplace, Devastating Pyrotechnics, went up in smoke.
The blast damaged homes nearby and sparked the 78-acre Oakdale Fire, which led to evacuation orders and burned for four days before it was finally contained.
‘He saw it as a new chapter in our life,’ soon-to-be mother Ruiz said. ‘He was excited. He was a good person, he is a good person.’
Jesus’ father Jhonny confirmed that his two older sons, Johnny, 22, and Joel Melendez Jr., 28, were also among the missing.
According to Joel’s mother Lupe Melendez Mendoza, he, too was at work to provide for his growing family.
‘I don’t know what happened,’ his mother said. ‘I just know that he loves his wife…He had a baby 10 months ago, and she’s pregnant.’
Angel Voller and Carlos Rodriguez have also been identified by their loved ones as victims of the tragic explosion. Two other victims have not been publicly named.
Angel was a keen baseball player and his club paid tribute to him following the tragedy, writing: ‘Angel was a fierce competitor and the most loyal friend and teammate you could ever ask for.
‘A very humble and respectful young man, Angel contributed greatly to the success of our program in all 4 of his high school years.’
The cause of the explosion is still under investigation, and authorities are working with federal agencies to determine what led to the catastrophic incident.
Cal Fire’s arson and bomb investigation unit is leading the investigation into the mass casualty tragedy.
It took some time before authorities could get inside to retrieve the bodies as they worked to ‘mitigate hazards’ for emergency crews.
Yolo County said in a statement: ‘The Yolo County Coroner’s Division has confirmed that seven individuals previously reported missing in connection with the Oakdale Fire have been located and recovered from the scene.’
Work was being carried out to contact next of kin for each of the deceased.
‘Crews are continuing to mitigate explosive hazards present at the scene,’ the statement continued.
‘To support this effort, CAL FIRE and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) National Response Team (NRT) have requested the assistance of regional bomb squads.’
The warehouse is known for producing large-scale fireworks displays for major events in the Bay Area. The company, which has been in business for over 30 years, stated in a brief statement that it would fully cooperate with the investigation.
Before its website was taken down, it was noted that Devastating Pyrotechnics focuses mainly on display fireworks for large productions, rather than retail products.
Devastating Pyrotechnics released a statement on their website that read, ‘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.’
Grief support services are available for anybody impacted by the tragedy.