$50,000 worth of illegal fireworks seized in Oakland raid

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- Oakland police conducted what may be their biggest illegal fireworks raid in decades, with a street value of $50,000.

Oakland firefighters and police were so amazed by the amount of fireworks found in an East Oakland basement, they tweeted it!

Thursday morning, Oakland police department's special investigative unit raided a house on the 1100 block of 82nd avenue after a long investigation. There were so many containers that the Alameda County bomb squad had to use more than one pickup truck to haul them out.

Police found three children living in the house.

"This is highly explosive if there is a heat source that ignited this. We're looking at single family residence, we're looking at small children in this neighborhood with apartment buildings," said OPD officer Johanna Watson.

Two men were arrested, who now face felony charges for each firework collected.

"The majority of the fireworks that are in the basement are the kind that go into the air, and as we all know, we have serious drought conditions," said Cynthia Perkins with fire department.

The raid came as a total surprise to Elbert Randles who lives next door.

"I had no idea that was sitting right next door. None. No clue at all. I'm shocked," shared Elbert Randel.

Investigators would not say what led them to the house, but other neighbors say they had seen some activity in recent days.

"They came by in trucks, cars and walking and buying and shooting them in the last week," explained Percy Osibin, also a neighbor.

Firefighters will now schedule a burn day to get rid of them.