Before explosions rocked a fireworks company in Yolo County and killed seven workers, authorities launched an investigation into the head of the firm. They were looking into whether he illegally stored fireworks in Southern California and put dangerous display-grade devices in packaging indicating they were less powerful, or “safe and sane,” a source familiar with the matter told the Chronicle.
The investigations centered on former San Francisco resident Kenneth Chee, the 48-year-old owner and CEO of Devastating Pyrotechnics, whose operation in the farm town of Esparto was destroyed by fire on July 1, as the company prepared to put on Fourth of July displays in cities across Northern California. A series of blasts created a mushroom cloud visible from many miles away.
The Chronicle granted anonymity to the source, who was not authorized to speak about the investigation, in accordance with the newspaper’s policies on confidentiality. Further details on the Southern California case were not immediately available…