The explosion occurred on July 1, 2025, in Esparto, California, and could be felt up to 20 miles away, according to multiple reports. It destroyed a family's farm and caused a grass fire, leveling several buildings and scorching 80 acres of land in what authorities named the Oakdale Fire. Emergency crews took nearly five days to bring the flames under control after the blast, which began as a localized fire but escalated into violent detonations.
Seven workers were killed in the blast, multiple reports indicate. The Yolo County coroner's office identified the victims as Christopher Goltiao Bocog, 45; Neil Justin Li, 41; Joel Jeremias Melendez, 28; Carlos Javier Rodriguez-Mora, 43; Jesus Manaces Ramos, 18; Jhony Ernesto Ramos, 22; and Angel Mathew Voller, 18. Authorities and family members said the victims were all employees of Devastating Pyrotechnics, and officials used DNA testing and dental records to identify the remains due to the intensity of the explosion.
Samuel Machado, a former lieutenant with the Yolo County Sheriff's Office, is a key defendant in the case. Prosecutors allege he had one million pounds of fireworks on his property at the time of the blast. Jail records show Machado is being held without bail on 26 counts, including seven counts of murder, and he faces additional charges including possession of explosives illegally and reckless possession of an explosive device.
, and Douglas Tollefsen, according to multiple reports. Jail records indicate Jack Lee was booked without bail on 16 charges, including seven counts of murder, while Gary Young Chan Jr. is being held without bail on 15 charges, including seven counts of second-degree murder.
Samuel Machado’s participation included using his role as a trusted lieutenant to help shield the conspiracy as it expanded, and the expansion was significant.
Additional arrests and charges have been filed in connection with the explosion. District Attorney Jeff Reisig said seven people were arrested early Thursday morning. Tammy Machado, Samuel Machado's wife, was arrested and has posted bond, multiple reports indicate, and she faces charges including mortgage fraud and child endangerment for storing illicit explosives near a family pool, according to a criminal complaint.
Craig Cutright, owner of Blackstar Fireworks, was arrested and is being held on $500,000 bail on 12 charges. The fireworks operation involved companies that manufactured and stored explosives at Machado's property. Prosecutors allege that Blackstar Fireworks, Inc.
and Devastating Pyrotechnics LLC manufactured fireworks so powerful they didn't qualify as fireworks, and the Yolo County district attorney's office said the companies stored explosives at Machado's property. According to the Associated Press, the warehouse grew from 13 firework storage containers in 2015 to 50 in 2025, indicating significant expansion over the decade. Law enforcement failures contributed to the disaster, with warnings ignored due to Machado's status.
An official within the Yolo County Building Services Department received a tip in June 2022 about Machado's property being used for illegal fireworks storage, but no follow-up action was taken, according to major media reports. Emails cited by major media show officials said they would tread lightly in searching the area because it was owned by deputies they worked with. A grand jury report stated that no code enforcement occurred despite dangerous fireworks being banned in rural Yolo County since 2001.
This is not a case just about fireworks. They are devices that have so much more explosive fireworks than the law allows that they can’t be considered fireworks.
The indictment alleges a decadelong conspiracy that turned Machado's property into a Northern California hub for illegal explosives, according to Deputy District Attorney Clara Nabity. Samuel Machado and his wife Tammy Machado owned the property where the explosion occurred, multiple reports indicate. Prosecutors allege Machado used his status as a law enforcement officer to shield the illegal fireworks operation from investigators.
The aftermath of the explosion involved extensive fire, destruction, and identification challenges. The resulting blaze leveled several buildings and scorched 80 acres of land, authorities reported, and it took emergency crews nearly five days to bring the flames under control. Officials used DNA testing and dental records to identify the remains due to the intensity of the blast, and the explosion injured two others, according to major media reports.
Additional charges and details have emerged in the case. Tammy Machado faces charges including mortgage fraud and child endangerment for storing illicit explosives near a family pool, according to a criminal complaint. The explosion injured two others, major media reports indicate.
Reactions and implications include administrative leave and arrests. Machado was placed on administrative leave after the explosion, multiple reports indicate. Kenneth Kin Chee was arrested at Walt Disney World in Florida on a fugitive warrant, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Office.
Key unanswered questions persist about the case. Investigators have not disclosed what specific evidence directly links each defendant to the murders beyond their involvement with the fireworks operation. It is also unclear why the Yolo County Building Services Department failed to act on the 2022 tip about illegal fireworks storage at Machado's property.
The roles of each defendant and the start of the fire remain under investigation.