A fireworks stand in Ashland was closed down and one of its employees arrested after an investigator from the Nebraska Fire Marshal's Office discovered illegal explosives were being sold.
Jim Heine, an assistant fire marshal, said Ashland police and the State Patrol assisted in the investigation after a complaint was received about Hometown Fireworks.
Heine said an employee was arrested Monday on suspicion of selling illegal fireworks, which is a felony offense. The man, whose name was not released, was being held in the Saunders County Jail.
“The fireworks being sold were over three times the legal size,” Heine said. “We are investigating whether the employee was acting on his own or with the knowledge of the stand's owner.”
Heine said the fireworks stand was authorized to sell Class C fireworks, which are labeled with the number 1.4.
However, the fireworks in question were more like Class B fireworks, which are used for large shows and have a 1.3 label.
“Part of the problem is that it appears the fireworks were repackaged with a 1.4 label to look as if they were legal consumer fireworks,” Heine said. “These illegal fireworks could have done some terrible damage.”
The illegal fireworks were sold “under the table,” Heine said. The employee would ask people if they were looking for something more powerful.
Heine said this is the first discovery of illegal fireworks this year in Nebraska.
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