Video shows moment two killed in huge fireworks explosion in California

Witnesses say the explosion was so powerful it felt like an earthquake

A video shows powerful explosion in Ontario, California after which two people died and several houses were evacuated (Screengrab/Video)

Two people were killed and several others injured in an explosion of a giant stash of firecrackers in a house in California, leading to evacuation of nearby areas.

Multiple blasts were reported from the house in Ontario, California, which was full of commercial-grade fireworks that caught fire, leading to each crackers getting fired up one by one for hours, setting the entire house ablaze and leading to severe damage to the nearby areas.

A nearly one-acre residential lot near West Francis Street and Fern Avenue were affected, Ontario fire department chief Ray Gayk was quoted by US media as saying in a briefing. “They are commercial grade,” Mr Gayk said, “like you would normally see in the fireworks show.”

The house where the explosion originated was reduced to rubble as firefighters continued fighting the fire. The two people who were reported dead in the blast have not been identified as of Tuesday evening, according to LA Times. Their bodies remain on the scene as officials say the conditions are still dangerous. 

Several others have also been injured, including a horse, which was captured on camera in a video footage from KABC-TV channel. The powerful explosions also shattered windows, sending shock waves across the area. Witnesses said the explosion was so strong it felt like an earthquake.

A few locals took to social media to share that they heard a blast which reportedly took place a few minutes before 1 pm on Tuesday. Some people also took photos and videos which show the exact moment the big explosion took place leading to the deaths.

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The emergency teams cordoned off the house, covering what appeared to be a body at around 2 pm local time, ABC 7 reported. The firefighters did not enter the property for hours due to the danger posed by the remaining fireworks.

The fire department’s bomb squad is on the spot clearing the area, and several agencies, including the FBI, are investigating the incident, authorities have said.

An evacuation order was put in place for West Francis and West Maple streets, between Fern and San Antonio avenues immediately after the explosion. A temporary care and reception centre was also established at the De Anza Community Center, local media reports said. 

Authorities could take as long as four days to declare the area safe, Ontario Police Chief Michael Lorenz said. Many resident are still waiting to come back to their homes as they await police approval.