The Yolo County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a declaration of local emergency after a July 1 fireworks facility fire and explosion near Madison and Esparto that claimed seven souls. It was an appropriate action taken, even as questions about business and blast remain unanswered.

More details are emerging about the evening explosion at Devastating Pyrotechnics and Blackstar Fireworks, 26450 County Road 23. But more questions need to be answered, including the connections between owners and operators of the companies, Esparto Fire Department and Yolo County Sheriff’s Office along with Yolo County permits.

It’s troubling to learn the businesses were operating on property zoned for agriculture without any variance allowing storage of explosive devices. The fact this had been taking place for years opens questions about county planning and permitting procedures and inspections.

Esparto Fire Chief Curtis Lawrence told the media his department had conducted “site visits” to familiarize responders with the facility, but that they were not safety inspections. That’s odd given the nature of the businesses.

I also wonder why our local Office of Emergency Services wasn’t notified by Esparto fire officials, given the size and potential dangers of the businesses.

It would seem prudent to conduct drills or put in place procedures for an explosion or fire at the businesses, particularly if one of owners/operators, identified as Craig Cutright, was a member of the Esparto Fire Department. The same can be said of the Yolo County Sheriff’s Office, where Lt. Sam Machado is also listed as an owner or worker.

The night of the blast, Cutright told ABC10 in text messages he was the owner of Blackstar but denied responsibility for the inferno, laying the blame on Devastating’s products. Cutright denied he was involved with Devastating’s operations. But a Sacramento Bee story reported public bid invitations and proposals spanning years, link Cutright to the company. A 2021 interview with KTVU in Oakland with Cutright described him as the senior show producer for Devastating, according to the Bee.

What also bothers me is that authorities have either declined to answer questions or would not take questions from the media. That’s a classic mistake when going up against “big city” journalists. If you don’t give a “hungry” reporter information, they’ll go elsewhere until they get answers. Local officials also owe local residents more than a “no comment.” That diminishes community trust.

I’m not blaming local fire officials or law enforcement for this. They simply are not trained in how to deal quickly with the level of questioning given the size of the explosion and number of people killed.

Local agencies should also be worried about potential lawsuits. And there will be lawsuits. Already, law firms are sending out information to the families of those killed and others affected by the blast. I would imagine any farmland landowner affected by the secondary fires will also seek restitution.

Smart lawyers could quite probably link responsibility to not just the fireworks businesses and the owners personally but to the Esparto Fire Department, Yolo Sheriff’s Office and maybe even the county of Yolo, if they could prove a lack of diligence in protecting the public.

I’m sure the Yolo County Public Agency Risk Management Insurance Authority, which provides insurance for local agencies, including Esparto Fire Department, Yolo County and the Sheriff’s Office has taken notice.

Now that the State Fire Marshal has become the investigative lead, it’s quite probable that there will be regular reports on the investigation.

State fire marshal Daniel Berlant told The Sacramento Bee last week that his work will “expand in the coming days to determine whether the operator had all the necessary licenses and permits,” and that includes state permits governing fireworks.

Meanwhile, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that the owner of Devastating — Kenneth Chee, 48, a San Francisco optometrist who worked for Costco in the San Jose area — was denied a federal explosives license because of past criminal history after he served time in San Quentin after being convicted of firing a weapon from a vehicle in 1998. Several days back, Chee’s home was searched by the Fire Marshal’s Office. Chee’s attorney, Douglas Horngrad, said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times that his client “is innocent of any wrongdoing. Until the investigation is concluded, we will refrain from further public comment. Once again, we express our heartfelt condolences to the victims’ families and loved ones.”

All in all, a lot of questions remain, to which families of those killed, as well as residents of Esparto and Madison, need answers.

Jim Smith is the former editor of The Daily Democrat, retiring in 2021 after a 27-year career at the paper.