Overview
- The civil grand jury, in a 32-page report released Thursday, said top Yolo County officials knew for at least three years about illegal fireworks at the Esparto site but took no code enforcement action.
- The report says Devastating Pyrotechnics and Blackstar Fireworks manufactured and stored dangerous fireworks without local permits, which it concluded led directly to the July 1, 2025 explosion that killed seven workers.
- Emails showed inspectors planned to “tread lightly” because the property was owned by sheriff’s personnel, and records tied the owners to Lt. Sam Machado and Tammy Machado while operator Craig Cartwright also served as a volunteer firefighter for the local district.
- Cal Fire finished its probe and reported evidence of illegal activity to the Yolo County District Attorney for charging review, and Cal/OSHA separately fined Devastating Pyrotechnics $221,000 for 15 safety violations at the site.
- County leaders dispute the portrayal of lax enforcement and promise an internal review, and because a civil grand jury is a citizen oversight panel, the county must formally respond to its recommendations within 90 days as victims’ families move ahead with lawsuits after a denied claim.