A fire erupted near a downtown Fresno school and spread to the building's roof on Saturday evening, authorities said, after an illegal firework was detonated nearby. The blaze occurred as fans gathered at the Rainbow Ballroom for a World Cup watch party.
According to Fresno Police Lt. Castillo, officers were present in the downtown area due to ongoing holiday weekend festivities when they responded to a disturbance near Kepler School. While investigating, officers observed two vehicles parked near the school.
Moments after an illegal firework was detonated, a large tree across the street from the Rainbow Ballroom caught fire. Flames shot into the sky and spread to a neighboring building. Firefighters responded and extinguished the flames on the tree and the adjacent structure.
The fire also spread to Kepler School, causing damage to a portion of the roof. Officials stated that no students or staff were injured and that the school's structure did not sustain significant damage.
The incident was among several that authorities attributed to illegal fireworks causing problems throughout the holiday weekend. The investigation into the fire is ongoing.