Company fined for storing fireworks

A SUFFOLK transport company was today paying for the price for illegally storing fireworks.

Leggett's Transport Ltd, of Woolpit, was ordered to pay more than £3,000 for storing eight containers of fireworks without permission or approval from Trading Standards.

Bury St Edmunds Magistrates' Court was told the eight containers had been stacked in two columns of four next to each other, which creates a high risk of explosion due to the large amount of explosives being in a confined space.

Officers from Suffolk County Council Trading Standards were warned of the illegal stockpile after the Health and Safety Executive traced it from Felixstowe port to Leggett's.

Peter Monk, the council portfolio holder for public protection said: "Through effective joint working with the HSE we were able to stop a large amount of explosives being stored dangerously on an unregistered site. We were also able to protect the public who were unaware they had been exposed to such a danger so close to home.

"Because the premises were not registered with Trading Standards, had there been a major incident the emergency services would have arrived at the site unaware of the large amount of explosives being stored there.

"Lives would have been put at risk and this is quite simply unacceptable".

Suffolk Fire and Rescue service warned an explosion caused by the fireworks could have put fire-fighters lives at risk.

Divisional Officer Paul Collins said: "We already strive to highlight the potential perils of fireworks. Not only are there inherent hazards associated with explosives but these are greatly increased by incorrect storage.

"None of us wants to see a repeat of the tragic incident in Cambridgeshire in 1989 where a firefighter was killed by an explosion in a van carrying fireworks".

Bury magistrates fined Leggett's Transport Ltd £1,500 plus £1,625 prosecution costs.