Fireworks company punished for unexploded shells in Ware, elsewhere

WARE, Mass. (WWLP) - A fireworks company that the State Fire Marshal says left unexploded shells behind following a fireworks display in Ware will not be able to have shows in Massachusetts next 4th of July.

Fire Marshal Stephen Coan announced that the Fireworks Users Certificate of Pyrotecnico has been suspended through July 10 of next year.

The company came under heavy criticism when about a dozen unexploded shells were found in Ware’s Grenville Park following a Pyrotecnico-run 4th of July fireworks display there. Two town workers had run over unexploded shells with lawn mowers, Fire Chief Thomas Coulombe told 22News.

At least part of the park had to be closed for days as firefighters searched for any additional fireworks.

According to Coan’s office, unexploded shells were also found during Pyrotecnico shows in Worcester, Stoughton, Waltham, and Wilmington.

“It is unacceptable that a child might wander from a playground and pick up one of these shells, or that a town worker might run one over with a lawnmower,” Coan said in a statement sent to 22News.

Pyrotecnico President Stephen Vitale says that the unexploded fireworks were the result of a defective product, which they are no longer using.

"Pyrotecnico has always upheld safety as our number-one priority," Vitale said in a statement sent to 22News. "As we have said, earlier this year upon learning that unexploded fireworks shells were discovered in several Massachusetts communities where we had performed shows, we acted immediately to conduct a thorough examination of all communities in which displays were held."

He says that they worked closely with the Fire Marshal's Office during the investigation. "While we are disappointed in this outcome and confident in our track record of providing safe fireworks displays for more than 100 years, we respect the decision of the State Fire Marshal, and look forward to resuming our work in Massachusetts and continuing to serve these communities for years to come," Vitale said.

In addition to the suspension of the company’s certificate, they also suspended the Fireworks Certificate of Competency for the licensed “shooters” for the shows in question. David C. Bilodeau received a 3-year suspension for failure to notice and/or conduct a through search. Anthony J. Gentile agreed to an administrative disposition of a six month suspension for failure to notice and/or conduct a thorough search (that suspension has already run its course), and Peter A. Tremblay received a two-year suspension for failure to notice and/or conduct a thorough search.