Shopkeepers fined for failing to store fireworks safely (From Runcorn and Widnes World)

Widnes shopkeepers admit failing to store fireworks safely

6:10pm Wednesday 4th July 2012 in News By Barbara Jordan

TWO men who failed to store fireworks safely at the former Original Pound Store in Albert Road, Widnes, have been fined.

Store manager, Aamir Dema, aged 22, and company director, Sohail Goder, aged 25, admitted four offences when they appeared before Runcorn magistrates on June 25.

Both men from Bolton, who are now unemployed, were each fined £440 plus a £15 victim surcharge and must share £980 of Halton Council’s costs.

Magistrates said the fines would have been in the thousands, had the defendants still been running the shop.

Inspectors made a spot check at the store on November 4, 2011, after reports that high industrial fireworks were being sold at the back door, the court heard.

Two earlier inspections found staff were complying with strict rules to store fireworks in locked cabinets.

However, this time, a large amount of fireworks were found piled up in cardboard boxes, lying on the floor all over the shop.

There were far more than could have fitted into the locked cabinets.

Goder apologised for what happened.

He said it had been a difficult year and they decided to sell fireworks at the request of customers.

He said he had instructed his staff about the safe handling of fireworks and had invested in storage cabinets with crocodile locks.

Dema said that he was in an upstairs stock room when a large delivery of fireworks arrived. He said staff had used their initiative to sort out the fireworks, which was a mistake. As manager, he accepts he was responsible..

Goder told magistrates the company had ceased trading due the economic situation and other factors.