Yolo County Sheriff Tom Lopez provided an update on Facebook regarding his office’s involvement in the Oakdale fire investigation, offering the community some insight after an explosion left families with questions.

Lopez took to social media to share with Yolo County residents updates after an explosion left seven people dead at an Esparto fireworks facility, which sat on a property owned by a Yolo County Sheriff’s Lieutenant and his spouse, who is a non-sworn administrative employee of the Sheriff’s Office.

The explosion occurred Tuesday, July 1, at approximately 5:52 p.m. at a fireworks storage warehouse in Esparto, located near County Road 86A and County Road 23, triggering a series of fires and blasts that were heard and felt as far away as Vacaville and Woodland.

In the update, Lopez revealed the employees of the Sheriff’s office are now on administrative leave, pending the results of the investigation by Cal Fire.

“This action does not imply wrongdoing, but it is a standard measure to help ensure an impartial and fair investigative process,” Lopez wrote.

The update also detailed the sheriff’s office’s role in the response to the July 1 fire. Lopez said when he arrived on the scene within an hour of the blast, he was immediately involved and wanted to work to get to the bottom of what happened.

“I was involved in briefings from the outset. I instructed my leadership team to prioritize emergency response and to avoid any involvement in the investigative process,” the sheriff states.

Cal Fire was named the lead agency in the investigation, and in light of that, Lopez said he instructed his staff to defer all media inquiries and public messaging to their team out of “the interest of unified command and consistent communication.”

Early in the investigation, before Cal Fire’s specialized resources were fully deployed, the Yolo County Sheriff’s Office’s Investigations Unit supported the investigation by drafting and executing search warrants at ATF’s request. The county Coroner’s Division searched, found, identified the victims, and conducted autopsies.

These phases of involvement are now complete, according to the update.

“This was done to avoid confusion and ensure a single, accurate source of information in a multi-agency, involved investigation,” Lopez states. “Still, some may have perceived we were inaccessible — our intent was, is, and continues to be full support of the investigative process and respect for the lead agency’s role.”