ORLANDO, Fla. – The fireworks company at the center of a deadly warehouse explosion last year in Orange County said it will fight government citations that will otherwise cost thousands of dollars.
Magic in the Sky is contesting 12 OSHA violations labeled “serious” by the agency, ranging from violating “explosives and blasting agents” standards to violating “hazard communication” standards.
The company faces $109,375 in fines for the citations related to the December 2022 fire that killed four people and left a fifth person badly hurt.
The case will now be forwarded to the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission and may even be assigned a hearing before an administrative law judge.
[TRENDING: Become a News 6 Insider]
In addition to the OSHA violations, Magic in the Sky is facing several lawsuits from families of the victims, who are claiming negligence against the company and other groups, including SeaWorld Entertainment, which used Magic in the Sky for its fireworks shows.
The landlord of the warehouse, Nathan Properties, is also suing the company, accusing them of failure to notify them that fireworks were being stored on the property, in violation of the lease, and of testing fireworks on premises.
An Orange County commissioner in December learned the business that was holding the fireworks had permits to store furniture in the warehouse, not fireworks.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
[WATCH PREVIOUS COVERAGE]
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: