Note to our readers: While this incident is not directly related to cannabis, it tangentially connects to the broader cannabis industry due to the involvement of Delta-8 THC products. The explosion in Clinton Township involved a facility that distributed vape pens, many of which were intended for use with Delta-8 THC, highlighting the sometimes blurred lines within the regulatory landscape of cannabinoid products.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is set to begin removing hazardous materials next week from a former smoke and vape shop in metro Detroit that was the site of a deadly explosion earlier this year. The incident tragically claimed the life of a pedestrian.
The cleanup effort will focus on the former Goo Smoke Shop and Select Distributors warehouses located at 19100 15 Mile Road in Clinton Township, near Fraser. According to the EPA, the site contains uncovered cans of butane, compressed gas cylinders, vape pens, and lithium-ion batteries that must be safely removed.
This operation follows an initial cleanup conducted in May, during which three 55-gallon drums of lithium-ion batteries and 3,582 compressed gas cylinders were removed and recycled. The total cost of the cleanup is estimated at $2.7 million.
The cleanup is necessary due to a massive explosion that occurred on March 4th at the building. The explosion, which involved cans of butane, compressed nitrous oxide, vape pens, and batteries, sent debris flying over several miles. A piece of projectile debris struck and fatally injured Turner Lee Salter, a 19-year-old pedestrian who was walking half a mile away from the site. Salter later succumbed to blunt force trauma at the hospital. Additionally, a township firefighter was injured in the blast.
Noor Kestou, the 32-year-old owner of the shop and a resident of Oakland County, was charged in April with involuntary manslaughter, a felony that carries a potential 15-year prison sentence. The charges were filed in the 41B District Court in Mount Clemens.
The EPA revealed that the building housed a significant quantity of hazardous materials, including ultra-refined butane cans, compressed nitrous oxide gas cylinders, and lithium-ion battery vape pens, in addition to cannabis CBD products, hookahs, lighters, and other novelty items. Local officials and prosecutors have stated that these materials were improperly stored, though the exact cause of the explosion has yet to be officially determined.
The explosion is currently under investigation by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco, and Explosives (ATF). According to reports from the Macomb Daily, Kestou was apprehended in April at a New York airport while attempting to board a one-way flight to Hong Kong.
Share this article:
Spotted a typo, grammatical error, or a factual inaccuracy? Let us know - we're committed to correcting errors swiftly and accurately!
Helpful Links Categories Recent News 
