Authorities have seized 38,000 pounds of illegal fireworks and arrested two suspects in connection with a massive storage facility fire in Silicon Valley, according to the San Jose Police Department.
Anthony Dasilva, 45, and Nathaniel Valassis, 25, were arrested on suspicion of distribution and sale of illegal fireworks and “various crimes” Thursday after SJPD detectives executed multiple search warrants in connection with the June 14 blaze.
“The large amount of fireworks stored in the unit caused the entire building to catch fire resulting in everything stored inside to be completely lost and unsalvageable,” SAPD said in a statement.
Audible explosions were coming from the building when the fire near Monterey Highway was reported at about 6:05 p.m., San Jose Fire Department public information manager Jake Pisani told the Mercury News. The two-alarm blaze was upgraded to a three-alarm around 7:45 p.m.
The 40-50 units in the two-story storage facility building were a total loss, and multiple surrounding buildings and units sustained serious damage from fire, smoke, and water, San Jose Fire Department Battalion Chief Brad Cloutier told KGO-TV.
San Jose Fire Department’s arson investigators and SJPD’s Assaults Unit began their investigation into the Blossom Hill Road storage facility fire June 16. They discovered multiple storage units that contained fireworks in addition to those found immediately after the fire.
Detectives procured multiple search warrants for both residences and storage units which they executed “throughout several days and multiple operations.”
SJPD’s Covert Response Unit arrested Dasilva and Valassis in San Jose June 29. The pair were arrested for “various crimes” and booked into jail.
In addition to the 38,000 pounds of illegal fireworks, officials also seized over 13 ounces of methamphetamine for sale, over 200 grams of cocaine for sale, marijuana for sale, approximately $4,800 in cash, and a semi-automatic firearm.
Photographs of the storage facility aftermath and seized items below were provided by the SJPD. The photographs include multiple plastic bags with what appear to be illicit substances, what appears to be a small elettronic scale, three piles of cash, a firearm, the interior of a storage unit, and the charred remains of storage facility contents.
Authorities say their investigation is ongoing.
Watch coverage from KGO-TV below of the destruction of a storage facility in San Jose believed to have resulted from illegal fireworks igniting inside a storage unit.
Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!