The eight people charged with felonies in connection with last year’s deadly Esparto, California, fireworks explosion did not set out to kill their own co-workers and employees.

Almost a year-long investigation into the massive explosion in California, the Yolo County District Attorney announced it charged eight people.

A former Northern California sheriff lieutenant and the owner of a fireworks company have been arrested and charged with murder following last year’s horrific explosion at an illegal fireworks factory in Yolo county that killed seven people.

Samuel Machado is accused of illegally having 1 million pounds of fireworks on his property at the time of the blast and using his law enforcement position to shield the illicit operation from scrutiny for years,