Fourth of July horror as woman killed, three injured as firework explosion creates huge car blaze

A man has been arrested on an involuntary manslaughter charge after a Fourth of July fireworks explosion killed a woman in her 20s, injured three others and sparked a massive car blaze in Southern California.

The explosion erupted at around 8:30 p.m. Saturday on the 5600 block of D Street in Chino, where officers responding to reports of a vehicle fire found several people suffering serious injuries.

Investigators believe a large quantity of fireworks ignited, triggering the explosion and causing a nearby vehicle to catch fire.

Authorities identified the suspect as 28-year-old Derion Tradon James Jr., of Hesperia, who was detained at the scene before being booked into the West Valley Detention Center on the manslaughter charge.

Jail records show James is being held on $50,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday morning.

Four people were taken to a hospital following the explosion, including three adults and one juvenile, NBC reported.

Officials announced Sunday morning that a woman in her 20s had died from her injuries at a local hospital.

The two other injured adults suffered serious injuries but are expected to survive, while the juvenile was taken to the hospital for evaluation before being released to family members.

“Based on the preliminary investigation, detectives believe a large quantity of fireworks ignited, causing an explosion,” the Chino Police Department said, confirming the blast also caused a vehicle to catch fire.

The investigation remains ongoing.

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters