An unauthorized fireworks display drew roughly 1,000 people to northern Buena Park on Saturday night, and it ended with three arrests, a bomb squad callout and a car full of hardware nobody expected to find. Police say the stop of one suspected vehicle turned up fireworks, loaded handguns and a container holding a fireworks explosive device.
According to NBC Los Angeles, officers were called to an area near Dolly Avenue and Desman Road at about 10:15 p.m. Saturday after reports of a crowd gathering around fireworks. The Buena Park Police Department said the gathering also caused traffic problems in the area.
A sergeant then stopped a car that was suspected of having taken part in the incident. Three people who were in that car were arrested in connection with the case.
What Police Say Was Inside the Car
The station's report says officials found two loaded handguns, fireworks and a container with a fireworks explosive device inside the vehicle. A separate account from New Santa Ana describes police-released video showing two semi-automatic handguns and a revolver-style handgun, plus ammunition magazines, commercial-grade fireworks and the suspected explosive device.
The two accounts differ on how many handguns were recovered and what types they were, and the available reporting does not settle that. It also does not establish how the recovered device would be classified legally.
Bomb Squad and Firefighters Clear the Scene
Firefighters were called to put out the remnants of the fireworks and help clear the scene, NBC Los Angeles reported. A bomb squad was also brought in to collect the firing device and any fireworks that did not explode.
New Santa Ana reports that officers and firefighters responded on Oct. 24 to reports of fireworks in the northern part of the city. No injuries were mentioned in the available reporting.
Charges Still Unclear, Rules Aren't
Police did not specify what charges the three arrested people may face, per the NBC Los Angeles report. Their identities, booking details and court dates have not been made public in the available reporting, and it remains unclear who organized or launched the display.
The city's rules are plain, though. The City of Buena Park says only fireworks bearing the California State seal marking them “Safe and Sane” may be discharged, and only on July 4 between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. The city's ordinance also allows fines against the property owner where an illegal fireworks violation occurs, and social hosts can face penalties even if they were not present.
A second City of Buena Park page says selling, discharging or possessing dangerous fireworks is illegal at any time without the required permits and licenses. Residents can report illegal possession or sales to the city's fireworks hotline at (714) 562-3847.
A Crackdown That Doesn't Stop After July
Saturday's incident came months after Orange County cities spent the Fourth of July season cracking down. New Santa Ana cited a review finding more than 260 illegal-fireworks citations in five Orange County cities during the 2026 enforcement period, generating more than $600,000 in fines.
The City of Orange said fireworks enforcement, monitoring and public education are a priority for the city 365 days a year. Its police department received 368 fireworks-related reports between June 20 and July 4.
The stakes are not abstract in Buena Park. The Los Angeles Times reported that a Buena Park man was charged with felony crimes in the death of an 8-year-old girl fatally injured by an illegal firework at a July Fourth party the previous year.
