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Pyro Products Inc.

Description

Three employees were killed in an explosion at the fireworks manufacturing plant where they worked. In the building where they were working, fireworks were primarily being dried, but the building was also being used to wrap fireworks and add the lifting charge that gives them force to rise up and be detonated, and being used as storage for approximately 4,000-5,000 uncompleted fireworks. On occasions prior to the explosion, employees had warned Godin that the large quantities of uncomplete fireworks being stored was possibly dangerous and was limiting the ability of employees to move about and work. The explosion injured several employees and killed three, whose bodies were found outside of the building. The manufacturing compound was almost completely devastated.

Prosecutors

Assistant District Attorney Helen M. Doona

Incident Type

Fire/ Explosion

County

Bridgewater

State

Massachusetts

Date

March 30, 1972

Available case materials include

  • Case/Court Decisions
  • Media Clips & Gov't. Press

Contact for Additional Information

Unavailable

Victims

First Last Age Title Employer Injury Type
Donna Dumanis 18 Unavailable Pyro Products Fatality
Irene DeSouto 44 Unavailable Pyro Products Fatality
Pearl Rodeheaver 57 Unavailable Pyro Products Fatality

Defendants

Name Type Title Plea Information Conviction Sentence
Edmund J. Godin Individual President Unavailable Convicted and sentenced to serve concurrent terms of imprisonment at the Mass. Correctional Institute at Concord. Godin appealed the conviction but it was upheld.
Penal Crimes Charged

Involuntary Manslaughter

Other Crimes Charged

Unavailable

Edmund J. Godin Individual President Unavailable Convicted and sentenced to serve concurrent terms of imprisonment at the Mass. Correctional Institute at Concord. Godin appealed the conviction but it was upheld.
Penal Crimes Charged

Involuntary Manslaughter

Other Crimes Charged

Unavailable

Pyro Products Inc. Entity Entity Unavailable The Judge ruled that Pyro Products, Inc. did not have to comply with the fire safety regulations because they had begun operation before the effective date of the statute and were thus exempt from compliance.
Penal Crimes Charged

Unavailable

Other Crimes Charged

Unavailable