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Hartford County resident Richard Valuk, age 47, of Berlin, turned himself in to Connecticut State Police on an active arrest warrant Friday, Sept. 6.
According to police, troopers with the agency’s Fire & Explosion Investigation Unit responded to Valuk’s residence on Friday, Feb. 2, hours after he was hospitalized for an undisclosed medical issue.
While at the scene, investigators discovered a “large cache” of illegal, commercial and consumer grade fireworks that were stored in his basement, police said. The area reportedly was not locked and was easily accessible to anyone inside the home, where three children also lived.
At the time, Valuk possessed a valid State of Connecticut Certificate of Competency to Display Fireworks but lacked the necessary permit to legally store such materials.
State Police investigators seized all of the illegal fireworks, which were removed from the home by the agency’s bomb squad.
In a later phone call with police, Valuk asked if officers had taken a 3-inch shell from his home, which investigators confirmed had been seized. He told them the shell had been left over from a fireworks display and that he planned to bring it to a future show and did not plan to keep it.
On Wednesday, Aug. 21, Valuk again met with State Police in Hartford. During the interview, he acknowledged having stored fireworks in his home and said part of his job consisted of using his truck to transport equipment and trash from fireworks displays.
He also surmised that some of the illegal fireworks had accidentally been placed into his truck and claimed he later discovered them while cleaning his vehicle.
Based on the number of fireworks stored in the home, a fire or explosion in the basement area would have posed “a significant threat to human life and property,” Connecticut State Police said.
They also noted that the residence lacked fire safety precautions and hazardous materials notifications to first responders in the event of an emergency.
Valuk is charged with the following:
- Risk of injury to a child
- Illegal possession of explosives
- Illegal procurement/transport of explosives
He was held on a $100,000 surety bond before arraignment at New Britain Superior Court.
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