PHOTOS: A closer look at the Devastating Pyrotechnics fireworks storage facility in Esparto

ESPARTO, Calif. - A fireworks' storage facility that exploded in the small, rural city of Esparto in Yolo County has literally rocked Northern California, where seven people are still unaccounted for, including three brothers from one family. 

The explosion

It's unclear why the fireworks exploded on Tuesday at about 6 p.m. and caused an 80-acre fire in the rural area near County Road 23 and County Road 86. 

Aerial photographs from KCRA3's helicopter show the moments the fireworks went off, sending orange balls high into the sky, as well as the aftermath of the burned-out, one-story yellow building set among green fields.

In the days afterward, the grass around the building was charred, and the scene was so active that firefighters still hadn't entered the building as of Thursday morning. 

What is Devastating Pyrotechnics

The facility is operated by Devastating Pyrotechnics, based in San Francisco, which describes itself as the "only local pyrotechnic company in Northern California" and one of the "largest fireworks importers in the Western United States." 

The building is located in the city of Esparto, which means "feather grass" in Spanish. Esparto is located 40 miles from Sacramento and has a population of about 4,000 people, where 60 percent of the population is Latino. 

On Wednesday, Devastating Pyrotechnics issued a statement through its attorney, Douglas Horngrad, that said: "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."

The company wiped its website to only provide this statement and refer all questions to Horngrad, a former Marin County public defender. KTVU reached out to Horngrad for more information, and requested an interview, but did not immediately hear back on Thursday. 

KTVU features company

KTVU featured Devastating Pyrotechnics in 2021. 

At the time, Craig Cutright, the senior show producer, and Jack Lee, the president, talked about providing "cultural explosives" for groups in San Francisco's Chinatown parade.

Valid licenses

Currently, CalFire's state fire marshal's website shows that Kenneth Chee of San Francisco is listed as the company representative and that Devastating Pyrotechnics has a valid fireworks and explosives license good through next summer, state records show. 

Chee also lists himself as a licensed ATF explosives importer and manufacturer and pyrotechnic operator in documents provided in 2019 to the city of Pinole when the city council was considering using the company for its fireworks show. 

A call to Chee's number on Thursday went to voicemail. 

Cities that buy Devastating Pyrotechnics' fireworks

In a proposal to the city of Rio Vista in 2023, which spent $20,000 on fireworks, Devastating Pyrotechnics General Manager Neil Li said the company had three full-time employees and dozens of licensed pyrotechnicists who are all fully trained and federally approved. Apprentice technicians, the company said, work alongside experienced technicians to gain hands-on experience, the company said.

Cutright was not listed as one of the three full-time employees in the 2023 proposal to Rio Vista.  

Devastating Pyrotechnics also provides fireworks for the cities of San Jose, St. Helena, Cloverdale, Chico, Lodi and the El Dorado County Fair, for their annual July 4 events. 

All of those festivities were canceled this year.  

CaliforniaNews