Firework Safety Committee formed after deadly 2023 Gonzales fire

GONZALES, Calif. (KION) - People in Gonzales are stepping up to prevent illegal fireworks from being sparked in the city. A safety committee was created after a deadly house fire believed to have been caused by fireworks last year.

Esperanza recalls the devastating moments when she not only lost her home but also her disabled 70-year-old family member in a fire last fourth of July.

"It happened to us last year, on the 4th of July. I don't wish what happened to us happen to anyone else. It could happen again, but I don't wish it on nobody," said Esperanza Valdez.

Although the investigation came out inconclusive, she says she believes illegal fireworks are to blame for the death and destruction of her Gonzales home.

"In the morning, pieces of very thick, very large sparks were falling," said Valdez.

Esperanza is living with her sister in Gonzales while construction continues on her new home. This incident was a wake-up call for residents like Ruben Zurita who pushed for city leaders to create a firework safety committee.

"A mortar went through my window and almost caught [fire]. The only thing that saved my house was they hit the shades and went through a double-pane window. I went and spoke to Chris Lopez and he gave me some guidelines, and that's when I met with the mayor of Gonzales. He gave me permission to go ahead and start a committee. We went to the council and we started the committee," said Ruben Zurita, who lives in Gonzales.

This committee gave city council ideas on ways to tackle illegal fireworks.

Some of those include a maximum enforcement period where the police and fire department will be patrolling the streets, using safe and sane fireworks on the fourth of July but only between 11 a.m. until 10:30 p.m. and having a drone to help detect which homes are lighting illegal fireworks.

"I'm hoping that the community itself is getting this message and understanding that these things are dangerous. That they have enough respect for themselves and for their fellow members, their community, to do the right thing and not use these types of fireworks," said Jason Mucisco with the Gonzales Fire Department.

Esperanza says it's better late than never to add more enforcement for the well-being of people in Gonzales.
"No, it's never too late, these rules should have been put in place a long time ago because illegal fireworks have been going off forever and unfortunately, there was this human loss last year," said Valdez.

City leaders plan to meet again with the firework safety committee after the fourth of July to see if more action needs to be taken to prevent illegal firework use.