The girlfriend of a father-to-be expressed her grief and frustration after her boyfriend went missing during his first day working at a fireworks factory.
Syanna Ruiz revealed that her boyfriend, Jesus Ramos, 18, was one of the seven people unaccounted for after a chilling fireworks explosion in California.
Multiple agencies responded to the explosion at Devastating Pyrotechnics in Esparto, a small community outside of Sacramento, on Tuesday evening.
The Esparto Fire Protection District, Yolo County Office of Emergency Services (OES), and CAL Fire released an update on Wednesday that authorities were attempting to ‘mitigate hazards’ so that first responders could safely access the site.
As of Wednesday evening, the site remained ‘active and hazardous’ with continuous explosions.
While emergency responders work to mitigate the area, families of the missing individuals are forced to wait with bated breath.
Ruiz is one of those loved ones waiting in fear. She told local ABC affiliate, KSBW-TV, that she has a ‘baby on the way’ with Ramos.
‘We have a baby on the way and I can’t even risk things like that right now,’ she told the outlet in tears.
‘He had so much coming for him and they were saying that there was a warning beforehand but somebody is behind this. There’s no way that this just happened.’
She added that the explosion happened on her boyfriend’s first day and that he was excited to start a new chapter.
Ruiz was in attendance for a press conference, where she pressed officials on why the families impacted haven’t received more information.
‘We were here since yesterday and are yet to receive any information, have yet to see any efforts and yet to see anybody go, to try to find anybody at all who was stuck in the warehouse, who have tried to escape or is possibly stuck under the debris of the warehouse,’ Ruiz told officials.
Esparto Fire Chief Curtis Lawrence said authorities were doing the best they could with the information they had and apologized that the updates may not be what families want to hear.
Jason Clay, a spokesperson for Cal Fire, added that authorities hadn’t yet approached the scene to protect first responders from danger.
‘But you guys are supposed to protect us from danger, you guys are supposed to deal with the danger,’ Ruiz hit back.
She told local ABC affiliate, KXTV, that Ramos joined the factory with his three brothers, who were also reported missing.
‘They were all three incredible men who had so much coming for them. And I’m just praying to God that some way, somehow that they’re okay,’ she said.
Seven people were reported missing, and two people were receiving medical care for injuries, although it’s unclear if the two individuals worked at the facility, Lawrence said.
Two sources familiar with the incident told the San Francisco Chronicle that at least one person was killed in the explosion. It wasn’t confirmed if the individual was an employee of Devastating Pyrotechnics.
An evacuation notice was issued for individuals who lived within a mile of the explosion site.
Victims’ services were set up for the families of the seven people who were reported missing.
Authorities haven’t confirmed the identities of those who remain unaccounted for or whether they were employed with the pyrotechnics facility.
The Daily Mail reached out to the Yolo County Office of Emergency Services and Cal Fire for an update on the search.
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.’