Man arrested at Disney World tied to fireworks explosion that killed 7 in California
THE TEEN IS CHARGED WITH SECOND DEGREE MURDER. A MAN HAS BEEN ARRESTED HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA AND CHARGED IN THE DEATHS OF SEVEN PEOPLE IN CALIFORNIA. THEY DIED IN AN EXPLOSION NEAR SACRAMENTO. THAT MAN IS KENNETH G. HE FACED A JUDGE AT THE ORANGE COUNTY JAIL TODAY. WESH 2 INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER GREG FOX IS THERE LIVE GREG. INVESTIGATORS SAY THIS MAN IS A BLACK MARKET KINGPIN. THIS IS WHAT THEY PROSECUTORS ARE SAYING NOW. THEY JUST UPDATED US A COUPLE OF HOURS AGO IN A NEWS CONFERENCE FROM CALIFORNIA. THEY SAY THE KENNETH G. WHO IS STILL HERE IN THE JAIL, WAS NOT JUST IMPORTING AND STORING FIREWORKS HE WAS BRINGING INTO THE COUNTRY ILLEGAL FIREWORKS AND SELLING THEM IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. THE EXPLOSION LAST JULY 1ST WAS IMMENSE. LARGE BUILDINGS LEVELED, AND WHEN FIRE AND RESCUE SIFTED THROUGH THE REMAINS OF DEVASTATING PYROTECHNICS IN ESPARTO, CALIFORNIA, SEVEN PEOPLE WERE DEAD. YOU HAVE A FUGITIVE FROM JUSTICE. ARREST WARRANT ARRESTED AND CHARGED. HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA IS KENNETH KEY. HE WAS ORDERED HELD WITHOUT BOND ON A STAGGERING NUMBER OF CHARGES. SEVEN COUNTS OF MURDER, CONSPIRACY, ILLEGAL POSSESSION OF EXPLOSIVES AND THE MAKING AND POSSESSION OF DESTRUCTIVE DEVICES WITHOUT A PERMIT. SINCE HE’S NOT LEGALLY ALLOWED TO DEAL IN FIREWORKS. SINCE THE DEADLY EXPLOSION, HE WAS APPARENTLY VACATIONING AT DISNEY WORLD WHEN HE WAS ARRESTED THURSDAY AFTERNOON AT THE HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS. SHE WON’T BE LEAVING THE ORANGE COUNTY JAIL ANY TIME SOON. HE’S EXPECTED TO BE HELD HERE UNTIL HIS EXTRADITION TO CALIFORNIA IN THE NEXT WEEK. TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE EVENT FOR THOSE SEVEN PEOPLE WHO DIED IN THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. YOLO COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY ANNOUNCED. SHE IS ONE OF FIVE PEOPLE CHARGED WITH MURDER, ALONG WITH AT LEAST SEVEN TOTAL ARRESTS. BECAUSE THE SO-CALLED FIREWORKS BUSINESS WAS REALLY A FRONT FOR IMPORTING 11 MILLION POUNDS OF ILLEGAL EXPLOSIVES DURING THE PAST TEN YEARS LEADING UP TO THE DEADLY EXPLOSION AND LIVES LOST, OUR HEART IS WITH THEM. WE’RE DEEPLY DEEP EMPATHY FOR THEIR LOSS. AS DEMONSTRATED TODAY, WE’VE BEEN ON IT FROM DAY ONE. WE’RE COMMITTED TO PURSUING THIS TO THE VERY END. A GRAND JURY REVIEWED EVIDENCE IN THE FIREWORKS EXPLOSION AND RELEASED IN MARCH. A SCATHING REPORT TITLED OFFICIALS KNEW NONE ACTED. IT FOUND THAT IN JUNE 2022, FIRE OFFICIALS FOUND BOTH SAFE AND SANE FIREWORKS AND DANGEROUS FIREWORKS. BUT NO LOCAL PERMIT OR BUSINESS LICENSE WAS EVER OBTAINED. IT’S JUST LIKE THE BUILDING EXPLODED. LIKE YOU COULD SEE, LIKE ALL THE FIRE, JUST LIKE COMING DOWN. LIKE IT WAS JUST LIKE A BUNCH OF FIREWORKS. THE CALIFORNIA EXPLOSION BRINGS BACK MEMORIES OF THE DEADLY BLAST AND AN ORLANDO WAREHOUSE. DECEMBER 1ST, 2022. FOUR PEOPLE DIED AND A FIFTH WAS SEVERELY INJURED. LAST YEAR, A SETTLEMENT WAS REACHED WITH MAGIC IN THE SKY, FIREWORKS AND JACOB J. DELL PRODUCTIONS. BUT A LAWSUIT IS STILL PENDING AGAINST THE COMPANY’S MAIN CLIENT, SEAWORLD, WITH TRIAL SCHEDULED FOR MAY OF NEXT YEAR. SO ONCE AGAIN, KENNETH G. IN THAT CALIFORNIA EXPLOSION REMAINING HERE AT THE ORANGE COUNTY JAIL WITHOUT BOND, WE HAVE MUCH MORE ON THIS DEVELOPING STORY COMING UP
Man arrested at Disney World tied to fireworks explosion that killed 7 in California
Updated: 4:24 PM EDT Apr 10, 2026
A man was arrested on Thursday at Disney World in Orlando for his alleged involvement in a deadly fireworks explosion in California. Kenneth Chee, owner of Devastating Pyrotechnics, was among multiple people arrested in connection with a fireworks explosion in Yolo County that killed seven people in July 2025. Jail records show Chee was arrested by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office at 351 Studio Drive in Bay Lake, Florida. The address of his arrest matches the location of Hollywood Studios.The fire broke out following a series of explosions involving commercial fireworks and ammunition. Authorities said neither the company nor the property had the required local permits to store fireworks.Chee is now facing multiple charges, including seven counts of murder and one count of conspiracy. He is currently being held in the Orange County Jail. Six other people were also arrested in connection with the investigation. They were identified as: Samuel MachadoTammy MachadoJack Y. LeeGary Young Chan Jr.Craig CutrightRonald Botelho II>> This is a developing story and will be updated as more details become available.
ORLANDO, Fla. —
A man was arrested on Thursday at Disney World in Orlando for his alleged involvement in a deadly fireworks explosion in California.
Kenneth Chee, owner of Devastating Pyrotechnics, was among multiple people arrested in connection with a fireworks explosion in Yolo County that killed seven people in July 2025.
Jail records show Chee was arrested by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office at 351 Studio Drive in Bay Lake, Florida. The address of his arrest matches the location of Hollywood Studios.
The fire broke out following a series of explosions involving commercial fireworks and ammunition. Authorities said neither the company nor the property had the required local permits to store fireworks.
Chee is now facing multiple charges, including seven counts of murder and one count of conspiracy. He is currently being held in the Orange County Jail.
Six other people were also arrested in connection with the investigation. They were identified as:
Samuel MachadoTammy MachadoJack Y. LeeGary Young Chan Jr.Craig CutrightRonald Botelho II
>> This is a developing story and will be updated as more details become available.