A large amount of fireworks were found in the home of a 51-year-old man from Nijeveen at the end of 2020. The judge says he doesn’t want to think about what would have happened if there had been a spark.
Signal rockets, numerous flares, heavy fireworks: the police found more than five hundred kilos of fireworks in the suspect’s home on December 16, 2020. Although not illegal, it does include professional fireworks, handmade items and consumer fireworks from the heavier categories. In any case, much more than the permitted amount of 25 kilos per household.
‘Hole in the ground’
The fireworks were in the attic and stored in containers in the shed. There was also a gas bottle there. A very dangerous situation, according to the police judge. “If there had been a fire, all that would have been left of the house and everything in it would have been a hole in the ground,” he believes. The Nijevener doubts that. “Well, at least the roof is coming off. And then there was not much left of the rest of the house,” says the judge.
An anonymous tip about possible fireworks sales led the police to his home. The Nijevener works in a wholesaler, which sells fireworks, among other things, and says that he receives some fireworks from his boss every year. He also chipped in sometimes, but not enough to use it all up. “Sometimes I was tired in the evening and I would put it in the attic. Over the years that became more and more.”
‘Regulations have changed’
According to the Nijevener, he only had consumer fireworks at home. “But that is not the case,” says the prosecutor. “It is true that there were consumer fireworks, including ones from 2010. But the laws and regulations have changed in the meantime. Fireworks that once fell under consumer fireworks can now be professional fireworks.” The officer blames the suspect for bringing a lot of fireworks to his home without checking what they were.
The Nijevener is lucky that he only has to appear almost three years after the fireworks discovery. He is sentenced to 120 hours of community service and a suspended prison sentence of four months, with a probation period of three years. This satisfies the man, says the judge. “If you had to appear two years earlier, you would have spent at least six months and probably even longer behind bars. It has taken too long for this case to come to a hearing.”