An 18-year-old baseball player from Stockton was identified as one of seven people killed in an explosion at a fireworks facility in Esparto, Yolo County Sheriff’s Office officials announced Friday.
Authorities confirmed that Angel Mathew Voller, a recent graduate of Venture Academy and a pitcher on its championship varsity baseball team, was one of the people killed in the incident.
The deadly explosion stemmed from a July 1 fire at a warehouse owned by Devastating Pyrotechnics in Esparto, about 82 miles northeast of Stockton. The flames ignited fireworks stored inside, leveling the building and sparking the Oakdale Fire, which burned 78 acres. The blaze was 100% contained as of July 6, according to Cal Fire.
At the time of the explosion, two people were treated for injuries, and Yolo County officials said seven people were missing. Three days later, investigators found human remains but authorities said DNA evidence was needed to confirm the identities.
Coroner’s officials announced Friday that the identification process was complete and released the names of the victims.
In addition to Voller, Yolo County officials confirmed the remains recovered from the explosion belonged to Carlos Javier Rodriguez-Mora, 43, of San Andreas; Neil Justin Li, 41, and Christopher Goltiao Bocog, 45, both of San Francisco; Joel Jeremias Melendez, 28, of Sacramento; and stepbrothers Jesus Manaces Ramos, 18, and Jhony Ernesto Ramos, 22, of San Pablo.
CWC Life in Manteca, a Christian worship center, paid tribute to Voller on social media on July 3 and asked people to pray for his family.
That same day, Venture Academy’s baseball team announced Voller’s death on social media.
“Angel was a fierce competitor and the most loyal friend and teammate you could ever ask for,” the team said. “A very humble and respectful young man, Angel contributed greatly to the success of our program in all four of his high school years. The first one to tell you he’s not perfect, Angel always worked hard at taking responsibility for his actions and improving himself on the field and in the classroom.”
Voller, who graduated in May, finished his senior year with a 10-0 record as the Mustangs’ top pitcher. He led the Mustangs to their first playoff win in eight years and a Central California Athletic Alliance league championship. He was also named the Central California Athletic Alliance Pitcher of the Year.
“Angel’s impact on our program, his presence and his infectious smile will never be forgotten,” the team said.
The Office of the State Fire Marshal is leading an ongoing investigation into the explosion.
Cal Fire officials said the companies involved — including Devastating Pyrotechnics — were licensed by the state, but questions about their federal permits are still unanswered.
Record reporter Hannah Workman covers news in Stockton and San Joaquin County. She can be reached at hworkman@recordnet.com or on Twitter @byhannahworkman. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.
This article originally appeared on The Record: Stockton teen who played baseball for Venture Academy ID’d as victim in Yolo County fireworks explosion
Reporting by Hannah Workman, The Stockton Record / The Record
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