Tragic Fireworks Blast Claims Woman's Life, Injures Three Others

WHO:

ABC7 Los Angeles - One woman in her 20s died, and three others were injured, including a child.

ABC7 Los Angeles - Derion Tradon James Jr., a 28-year-old Hesperia resident, was arrested and booked on suspicion of involuntary manslaughter.

WHAT:

ABC7 Los Angeles - The explosion set a vehicle on fire, and video footage showed the car fully engulfed in flames.

ABC7 Los Angeles - The two surviving adult victims are expected to survive their injuries.

ABC7 Los Angeles - Investigators were seen searching the neighborhood following the explosion.

ABC7 Los Angeles - A fireworks explosion occurred during a Fourth of July gathering, resulting in one death and three injuries.

ABC7 Los Angeles - Three adults were transported to local hospitals with severe injuries; one woman later died from her injuries.

ABC7 Los Angeles - A juvenile victim was transported to a local hospital for evaluation and has since been released to a parent or guardian.

NY Post - A man has been arrested on an involuntary manslaughter charge following the explosion.

WHERE:

ABC7 Los Angeles - The incident occurred on D Street in Chino, California.

WHEN:

ABC7 Los Angeles - The explosion happened around 8:30 p.m. on the Fourth of July.

WHY:

ABC7 Los Angeles - Detectives believe a large quantity of fireworks ignited, causing the explosion.

HOW:

ABC7 Los Angeles - Witness Gabriel Gilmore reported that the explosion appeared to originate from a trunk containing illegal fireworks, stating, "I don't know how the trunk got lit up but obviously, you could see from the video that the truck hatch was busted open, and that was where the point of the explosion was."

ABC7 Los Angeles - Witnesses reported that illegal fireworks were likely involved, with one witness stating, "It clearly looked like there was a bunch of illegal fireworks in the trunk."

(UPDATED July 6, 2026 08:22 UTC)

An explosion in a neighborhood has set a vehicle on fire, with video footage showing the car fully engulfed in flames. Two adult victims are expected to survive their injuries, while investigators have been seen searching the area for clues. Witness Gabriel Gilmore reported that the explosion seemed to come from a trunk containing illegal fireworks, noting that the truck hatch was busted open at the point of the explosion.

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(UPDATED July 6, 2026 06:24 UTC)

A tragic fireworks explosion during a Fourth of July gathering in Chino, California, has resulted in the death of a woman in her 20s and injuries to three others, including a child. Authorities have arrested 28-year-old Derion Tradon James Jr. on suspicion of involuntary manslaughter, as detectives believe a large quantity of illegal fireworks ignited, leading to the devastating incident. Three adults were taken to local hospitals with severe injuries, while a juvenile victim was evaluated and later released to a parent or guardian.