Published Saturday, Sept. 20, 1997

This is Ground Zero of the bunker explosion site at Zambelli Internationale Fireworks Co.'s Union Township site. The crater is about 25 feet long. (Jean Angelo/Herald).

`Cause still unknown in blast at fireworks storage bunker`

By Julie Hannon
Herald Staff Writer

A state police fire marshal continues her probe into Thursday night's explosion at a fireworks bunker near New Castle that rocked an entire county.

The cause of the blast that destroyed a storage bunker owned by Zambelli International Fireworks Co. in Union Township, just west of downtown New Castle, has yet to be determined.

``We're leaning towards it being accidental only because we've found nothing that suggests otherwise,'' said Lt. John Lechner of the state police in New Castle.

Agents from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms arrived on the scene early Friday morning to assist in the investigation, said state police. The explosion occurred at 9:59 p.m. Thursday.

Five of those injured were treated at Jameson Memorial Hospital for minor cuts and bruises and released within hours of the blast. A sixth person remained in the hospital Friday afternoon. No one was killed.

Hospital spokeswoman Diane Kolodziej said she could not release victims' names but said all of them were over the age of 18.

George Zambelli, who helped dub New Castle as the fireworks capital of the world with his four sites in the county, estimated the damage to his property at more than $75,000. He said the destroyed bunker housed several display fireworks, while two other storage bunkers remained untouched.

State police reported that a separate office building caught fire along with a car parked on the site.

The explosion destroyed Koscinszko Welding and Fabricating Co., which was near the back entrance of the more- than-100-year-old Zambelli storage facility.

Police said Zambelli told them that a security guard checked the site less than a half an hour before the blast and reported all was fine.

A crater 25 feet across and 3 or 4 feet deep is all that remains where the storage building once stood, said Lechner.

About 35 businesses and 45 homes reported damage to authorities, said Jim Jannetti, director of Lawrence County's Emergency Medical Service.

``Most of the damage was from shattered glass. Call's Plaza on the hill sustained the most damage,'' said Jannetti.

But it was business as usual for the dozen or so shops located in Call's Plaza on Friday. Lou Pionati, owner of Blue Jay Record's said while about $3,000 damage was done to the store's front windows, nothing inside was damaged.

``It's back to business for all of us. We're just glad no one was hurt,'' Pionati said.

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Updated Sept. 20, 1997
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Cause still unknown in blast at fireworks storage bunker

`Cause still unknown in blast at fireworks storage bunker`