CONCORD, N.H. (AP) – New Hampshire Fireworks in Hooksett can get its fireworks inventory back from the town under a court-approved settlement.
Company officials said Wednesday they are excited at the prospect of reopening and hope to begin selling fireworks to the public in the next two to three weeks.
Town officials had emptied out the business’ warehouse on Route 3 almost a year ago, filling four tractor trailers with the fireworks just before the July Fourth holiday.
Fire safety officials said the business repeatedly had failed safety inspections and had been operating without local or state permits for two years.
New Hampshire Fireworks took the town to court in state and federal courts.
As part of the agreement reached this week, all lawsuits will be dropped, according to Assistant Town Administrator Elizabeth Dinwoodie.
New Hampshire Fireworks must meet certain safety requirements before the town is obligated to return the fireworks, which remain stored in tractor trailer trucks on town property.
In approving the agreement, Merrimack County Superior Court Judge Edward Fitzgerald appointed an independent inspector to check the warehouse for compliance with state regulations.
Christina N.V. Katsikas of New Hampshire Fireworks said Wednesday she already has made an appointment with the inspector to visit the warehouse Monday. If there are deficiencies, New Hampshire Fireworks will fix them and a second inspection will be conducted by the same inspector, she said. Under the agreement, the business is not required to pay the town’s $5,000 inspection fee but will pay only for the services of the inspector.
Among other things, Katsikas said New Hampshire Fireworks will not stack fireworks more than 12 feet high. At the time the inventory was seized, boxes of fireworks reached to the rafters. Town fire officials considered that hazardous, saying the sprinkler system would be inadequate with fireworks packed that densely.
New Hampshire Fireworks also is fulfilling the requirements to receive state and local permits this year to sell fireworks, Katsikas said.
This would enable the business to sell to state residents for the first time in two years. Without local and state permits in the past, Katsikas said the business was restricted to selling fireworks to out-of-state residents.
“We’re anxious to start selling to our own residents,” she said.
One of the more creative aspects of the agreement settles the issue of who pays for the expense to empty the warehouse last year. The town sought to recover $35,000 connected to the seizure, including the labor of loading the boxes, police protection and overtime.
Rather than pay that fee to the town, New Hampshire Fireworks has agreed to pay for fireworks shows for the town’s Old Home Day festivities for the next four years, Katsikas said.
AP-ES-05-15-03 1608EDT
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