A GARAGE FILLED WITH ILLEGAL FIREWORKS THAT WERE being “improved” caught on fire Tuesday in Butler County, Ohio.  The homeowner had stockpiled hundreds of rockets and other large displays for a neighborhood show on Friday.

WCPO

The fire department was able to knock the fire down quickly and contained it to the garage.

“It just ignited and they were flying all over the place,” said the owner Bill Hengeli. “It was a chain reaction, it was like Fourth of July enclosed in the garage.  I was thinking I was gonna die. I was pinned in the corner, things flying off of me left and right, bouncing. I covered up trying to hide and figured I’m either gonna die sitting here on my butt – or I’m gonna die trying to get out of the garage.”

He got out of the garage without dying, but not without being charged by police for the illegal stockpile.  The fact that the police had been called there last year after neighbors had complained about the garage filled with fireworks then, might not sit too well with the judge when they come to court.

Bill Hengeli, wearing his “Extreme Pyro” T-shirt,
says that he’s finished with fireworks.  (WCPO)

WCPO-TV has the STORY.

This video report from WKRC was made before the police
announced the results of their investigation:

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