Woman dies after 4th of July fireworks explosion in Chino, man arrested

CHINO, Calif. (KABC) -- One woman died and three others were injured, including a child, in a fireworks explosion in Chino on the Fourth of July, authorities said.

The explosion happened around 8:30 p.m. on D Street, where a large group of people had gathered for a fireworks display, witnesses told Eyewitness News.

According to the Chino Police Department, detectives believe a large quantity of fireworks ignited, causing the explosion that seriously injured three adults and a child and set a vehicle on fire.

Multiple people are injured after a serious fireworks accident in Chino on the Fourth of July. Video from the scene shows people scattering as a car is fully engulfed in flames.

Three adults were transported to local hospitals with severe injuries. One of the victims, described only as a woman in her 20s, later died from her injuries, police said. The other two victims are expected to survive.

A fourth victim, described by police as a juvenile, was transported to a local hospital for evaluation and has since been released to a parent or guardian.

During the investigation, police detained Derion Tradon James Jr., a 28-year-old Hesperia resident. He was later booked at the West Valley Detention Center on suspicion of involuntary manslaughter.

Video from AIR7 showed debris scattered across a front yard and nearby street in the aftermath of the explosion.

Witnesses described a chaotic scene as people ran from the area immediately after the blast.

"Back up, back up, back up ... everybody get back!" one person can be heard saying in video recorded at the scene.

Eyewitness Gabriel Gilmore said he was inside his mother's house when he heard the blast and rushed outside to see what had happened.

"It clearly looked like there was a bunch of illegal fireworks in the trunk," Gilmore said. "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."

Investigators were seen searching the neighborhood Saturday night and early Sunday morning.

The Chino Police Department is leading the investigation and is working with the Chino Valley Fire District.

Several nearby roadways remained closed during the investigation.

Anyone with information is being asked to contact Detective Gregory at 909-334-3136.

The incident remains under investigation.