Mission District school mourns brothers killed in Yolo County fireworks explosion

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Claudia Delarios-Morán, the principal at Buena Vista Horace Mann K-8 School, still remembers the speech that Jesus Ramos gave at his middle-school graduation in 2021.

Jesus had, along with everyone else at the school, spent much of 2020 and early 2021 attending classes online. 

Delarios-Morán remembers how delighted the students were to be back together. “I remember them marveling at each other,” she said. Jesus’ speech was a “retrospective of the time he had spent at the school, and coming into himself,” Delarios-Morán said, “just being on the prospect of a whole new chapter in his life.”

On July 1, Jesus and Jhony Ramos, and their step-brother,Joel Melendez, were working at a Yolo County warehouse operated by Devastating Pyrotechnics, a San Francisco-based company that puts on fireworks displays. The warehouse exploded, killing all three brothers along with four other people. 

Joel Melendez had been working at the fireworks warehouse —  located in Esparto, 40 miles northwest of  Sacramento — for more than a year. He had invited his younger brothers to join him and make some extra money during the July 4 holiday season. It was Jesus’ first day on the job.

Jesus was only 18 when he died. Jhony was 22. Joel Melendez, the oldest, was 28. 

Marisol Ramos, the mother of Jhony and Jesus, said she was cooking at a family member’s house in Sacramento that day.

“They told me to cook them some food, for when they got off work,” said Ramos in Spanish, “they loved my cooking.” Ramos said the family became concerned when Melendez’s wife, Maria, noticed her husband had not arrived at his usual time.

Maria found out there was a fire at the warehouse and began to scream, Ramos said. The family dropped everything and rushed to the warehouse.

“It smelled like smoke, and there were fireworks going off,” Ramos recalled. She and her husband, Jhony Ramos, Sr., approached the building, screaming desperately for their boys.

“We got to the entrance, but it was really hot. I was in sandals and I started feeling really sick,” said Ramos. She encountered someone who was attempting to put out the fire himself.

“He said he heard people screaming from inside the warehouse,” said Ramos, “they were alive, I know my sons were alive. For a long time, they [first responders] didn’t do anything.”

The explosion at the warehouse sparked a massive wildfire spanning 80 acres, which made it difficult for first responders to immediately enter the area.

Devastating Pyrotechnics was not permitted to store fireworks in Esparto. The warehouse was on property purportedly owned by Yolo County Sheriff’s Lieutenant Sam Machado.

Ramos said the company has not reached out to the family.   

Jesus was expecting a child with his girlfriend. “He was happy when he found out he was going to be a dad,” said Ramos. He was about to begin trade school, she added, and had dreams of starting his own business as an electrician.

Jeff Steeno has taught at Buena Vista Horace Mann for 25 years, and has known the Ramos family for more than a decade. He remembers Jhony Ramos, Jesus’ older brother, as lively and funny. “Even if he was in a bad mood, he was always smiling,” said Steeno.

Ramos said, Jhony was excited to start work soon at the scaffolders union. 

“Jhony was a very happy person, and he had a lot of friends,” said Ramos, “I admire how many of my son’s friends have reached out to show their support.”

News of the brothers’ deaths has devastated the Buena Vista Horace Mann community, said Steeno. Jhony, Jesus and their two siblings, Neto and Jhanelly, all attended Buena Vista Horace Mann from kindergarten to eighth grade. 

“The family has been a really close part of our community for … it feels like generations,” said Delarios-Morán. 

“I want to let the Buena Vista community know my appreciation for them,” said Ramos. She said teachers, students and parents have reached out to offer their support.

“From the bottom of my heart, I want to send them all a big hug,” Ramos said as she began to cry. “I know my sons are happy, seeing how the community has united, and it’s nice to know we’re not alone.”

On July 7, authorities announced that they had found the remains of all seven people who were reported missing after the explosion. Ramos is still waiting for full closure.

“Until they call me and tell me they’ve been identified with DNA, my hope will not end,” Ramos said, “But since they haven’t told me anything, I think there’s a little bit of hope left.”

The investigation into the cause of the explosion is ongoing and is being led by the California State Marshal.

Two separate fundraisers have been set up to support the family: One that will be managed by Erenia “Marisol” Ramos, mother of Jhony and Jesus Ramos, and another set up by a relative to help Maria Melendez, wife of their older step-brother, Joel “Junior” Melendez.