State Response and License Suspensions
State Fire Marshal Daniel Berlant confirmed Monday that his office has been working closely with the district attorney on the ongoing investigation.
“Obviously, if there is a crime out of this case, we’ll turn over to [the district attorney] to prosecute, but in this request, we’ll continue to see whether the attorney general decides to step in and be actual prosecuting entity,”Berlant said.
The investigation has already yielded concrete regulatory action. Berlant noted that investigators discovered sufficient red flags to suspend the state licenses for both Kenneth Chee and Craig Cutright last week. These suspensions effectively prohibit them from importing, exporting, selling, or conducting fireworks shows while the investigation continues.
The suspensions represent a significant escalation in regulatory response, suggesting investigators have uncovered serious safety violations or procedural failures. Within 30 days, the fire marshal’s office will determine whether sufficient evidence exists to permanently revoke those licenses—a decision that could effectively end both men’s careers in the pyrotechnics industry.
