SCOTTOWN – Four years after nine people died in a fiery explosion at his Scottown fireworks store, David Pruitt has been charged with illegally selling fireworks – just a few hundred yards away from the site of the July 3, 1996, tragedy.

Thursday, July 06, 2000

SCOTTOWN – Four years after nine people died in a fiery explosion at his Scottown fireworks store, David Pruitt has been charged with illegally selling fireworks – just a few hundred yards away from the site of the July 3, 1996, tragedy.

Investigators from the Ohio Fire Marshal’s Office and the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department arrested Pruitt and his daughter, Vicki Bailey, over the weekend, charging them with illegally possessing and selling fireworks.

"We received information from anonymous sources who reported them for selling fireworks near the location of their old Ohio River Fireworks location," LCSD Chief Deputy Jim Cochran said. "We acted on those tips and sent an undercover officer in to make a purchase."

The officer made two separate purchases from a pull-behind camper/trailer Pruitt was using, which was located within several hundred yards of his 1996 business.

"The first time the officer went in on Saturday, the officer purchased $100 worth of 1.4G fireworks from Bailey," Cochran said. "The second time, the officer purchased $233 worth from Pruitt at the exact location. Both transactions were made on Saturday."

Officials said 1.4G fireworks are commonly known as consumer fireworks and include such items as bottle rockets, roman candles and firecrackers. Consumer fireworks can only be sold by fireworks manufacturers and wholesalers who possess a license.

"Pruitt was found to have at least a pickup truck-load of unsold fireworks that was confiscated," Cochran said. "He and his daughter also had about $2,000 in cash that was also seized."

Pruitt and Mrs. Bailey are now facing at least three charges involving the illegal possession and sale of fireworks, with two misdemeanors and a fifth-degree felony, officials said. They are scheduled to appear in the Lawrence County Municipal Court Friday at 9 a.m.

"He was selling mortars, smoke bombs and things like that," Cochran said. "He had the big stuff and the little stuff."

Pruitt’s fireworks license was revoked by the state after the July 3 fire in his Scottown store, which left nine dead and 11 injured.

Proctorville resident Todd Hall was charged with lighting the firecracker in the store that caused the explosion and fire. Hall was later ruled incompetent and is currently housed in a mental health facility.

Questions have also been raised about the fire protection system in the Scottown explosion and if it was a factor in the 1996 blaze. Cochran said safety was a consideration this time as well.

"When investigators entered his trailer on Saturday, they discovered he didn’t have a fire suppression system (fire extinguisher or sprinkler system) of any kind," Cochran said.

The charges could bring Pruitt six months imprisonment and up to a $1,000 fine.

"Luckily nothing like the 1996 incident happened this time," Cochran said. "If something would have happened, he had no way of putting it out."