Blaze sparked by Memorial Day fireworks leaves 40 homeless, California officials say

An M-100 firework tossed into a field on Memorial Day sparked a grass fire and then an apartment complex fire that left 40 people homeless, California firefighters say.

James Sossaman, 44, of Antioch, faces charges including unlawfully starting a fire, the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District said in a release.

The blaze broke out at 5:30 p.m. Monday in the 1700 block of Hargrove Street in Antioch, a city in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, the district said.

By the time firefighters arrived, the blaze had already reached a two-story apartment building, the release said.

Security videos showed Sossaman throw an M-100 firecracker into a field behind the complex, igniting the grass fire, and witnesses also saw him toss the pyrotechnic, firefighters said.

A loaded firearm and several illegal fireworks were found in a search of Sossaman’s home, the district said.

Firefighters battled high temperature and wind gusts up to 20 mph to extinguish the blaze by 6:26 p.m., but the fire displaced 40 apartment residents who were aided by the American Red Cross.

Two residents were taken to the hospital with smoke inhalation. No firefighters were hurt.