Pyrotecnico Suspension Means Stoughton Will Have to Find New July 4th Fireworks Vendor

Stoughton will need to find a new company to stage its annual pre-July 4th fireworks display.

After unexploded fireworks shells were found in five communities in which Pyrotecnico staged Fourth of July shows this past summer, including Stoughton, the Pennsylvania-based company will not be allowed to provide fireworks in Massachusetts for this coming July 4th season.

The State Fire Marshal's Office announced in a statement that it has suspended Pyrotecnico for a year, effective July 10, 2012, and running through the 2013 July 4th season, the Boston Globe reports.

Pyrotecnico staged displays in 13 Massachusetts cities and towns this past July 4th season, leaving behind undetonated fireworks in Stoughton, Waltham, Ware, Wilmington and Worcester.

Pyrotecnico also provided fireworks for shows in Newton, Milford, Hingham, Winchester, Westford, Ayer, Marion and neighboring Sharon.

Stoughton's show was held July 3, 2012.

Even though records indicate Pyrotechnico swept the West School fields twice following Stoughton's annual fireworks display (once right after the July 3 show and then again on the morning of July 4), an undetonated firework was found on the Anthony Novello baseball field on July 10 and another one was found on the field July 11.

The discovery of the undetonated firework on the 10th prompted a through search of the field on the 11th, where employees from the Fire Department, School Department and Recreation Department spent hours sweeping the fields, making sure they were safe for use.

As a result, the after the town "incurred unexpected costs due to the hazardous conditions left behind from [Pyrotecnico's] recent fireworks display on July 3, 2012," Stoughton Fire Chief Mark Dolloff wrote in the cover letter for the invoice.

"Pyrotecnico has always upheld safety as our number one priority," Stephen Vitale, President of Pyrotecnico wrote in a statement sent to Stoughton Patch following the State Fire Marshal's decision.

"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. An internal review of our procedures determined that the unexploded shells were the result of a defective product, which we separated from our inventory and permanently removed from use. This internal review will also inform enhancements to our safety training procedures moving forward."

Vitale continued, "We have worked closely with the State Fire Marshal’s office during their 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."

Following the announcement of the suspension, State Fire Marshal Stephen D. Coan told the Boston Globe, "Fireworks are extremely dangerous even for professionals...The regulations require a first light search to ensure that the public does not encounter any unexploded fireworks shells the next day. In these cases, that was not done adequately.”