Fireworks company cited over explosion that killed four workers

A fireworks company could have prevented a deadly fire and explosion at an Orlando, Florida, warehouse in December 2022 in which four employees were killed and a fifth suffered near-fatal injuries, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration said Monday.

Investigators determined that as a team of workers employed by St. Petersburg, Florida-based Magic in the Sky Florida LLC readied fireworks for a show an ignition sparked a fire and explosions in the storage facility. The five employees, who ranged in age from 22 to 27 years old, quickly found themselves trapped.

An OSHA investigation found the company failed to protect its employees by following established safety protocols and issued citations for 10 serious violations.

The company faces $109,375 in proposed OSHA penalties and has 15 days to contest the findings.