Police serve warrant at San Francisco home linked to Devastating Pyrotechnics
Police serve warrant at San Francisco home linked to owner of Devastating Pyrotechnics
Police serve warrant San Francisco home linked to owner of Devastating Pyrotechnics.
SAN FRANCISCO - Police from several agencies searched the San Francisco home on Tuesday linked to the owners of Devastating Pyrotechnics, the company that owned the fireworks warehouse that exploded in Yolo County this month and killed seven people.
Hoodline first reported that the Yolo County Sheriff, San Francisco police and the Sacramento Sheriff's Bomb Squad descended on a Second Avenue home in the Richmond District. Hoodline reported police were serving a search warrant on a home where Kenneth Chee, the owner of the fireworks company lives or once lived.
On Wednesday, Sacramento County Sheriff's Office confirmed to KTVU that its bomb squad was at the home on a mutual aid request. The sheriff's office detectives said they were there for a search warrant in relation to the fireworks warehouse explosion.
State records show the house is the same registered address as Devastating Pyrotechnics.
According to The San Francisco Chronicle, Chee was denied federal licensing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for a prior 1998 felony conviction. However, Chee's name does appear on CalFire's site as having a valid fireworks and explosives license good through next summer, state records show.
In 2019, Chee listed himself as a licensed ATF explosives importer and manufacturer and pyrotechnic operator in documents provided that year to the city of Pinole when the city council was considering using the company for its fireworks show.
Two years ago, federal authorities approved a license for another man, Gary Chan Jr. of San Francisco — who is also associated with the Second Avenue home — to operate Devastating Pyrotechnics, the Chronicle reported.
Devastating Pyrotechnics' attorney Douglas Horngrad told KTVU in a statement, "Kenny Chee is innocent of any wrongdoing. Until the investigation is concluded, we will refrain from further public comment,"Horngrad said. He continued, "Once again, we express our heartfelt condolences to the victims' families and loved ones."
Police serve warrant at San Francisco home linked to owner of Devastating Pyrotechnics
Police serve warrant San Francisco home linked to owner of Devastating Pyrotechnics.
CalFire is leading the investigation into why the fireworks warehouse, located in a small rural city called Esparto in Yolo County, exploded on July 1 at about 6 p.m., killing seven people inside – including two brothers and their stepbrother - and sparking an 80-acre fire.
KCRA 3 in Sacramento reported that the warehouse on Country Road 23 was zoned for agricultural use only.
In an interview with KCRA, CalFire State Fire Marshal Daniel Berlant said "there are a lot of red flags in this incident, a lot of questions that rightfully need to be answered."
In a follow-up statement to KTVU, Kayla Washington, with CalFire communications, said, "investigators are actively tracking down numerous leads and have served multiple search warrants as a part of the investigation process." She said that while her agency could not provide additional details at this time, they are committed to a thorough investigation.
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