A SHOPKEEPER risked blowing up himself and his customers after storing cardboard boxes full of fireworks beside an electric heater, a court was told.
Salamat Hussain Jeru, 38, of Britain News, Accrington Road, Blackburn, also stored matches, cigarette lighters and lighter fuel next to the heater while it was switched on, Blackburn magistrates heard.
The situation was discovered by Blackburn with Darwen Council trading standards officers making a routine inspection to check that he was complying with fireworks regulations.
Jeru, of Blackburn Street, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to failing to take appropriate measures to prevent fire/explosion when storing fireworks and breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
He also admitted supplying a box of fireworks to a person under 18-years-old, which was made illegal under new regulations in 1997.
He was given a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £200 costs by magistrates.
Magistrates told Jeru he had been negligent in storing the fireworks in a way which posed a risk to the general public.
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