A man was arrested at Disney World after he was linked to a fireworks explosion that killed seven people in California months earlier.
Kenneth Chee, who owns Devastating Pyrotechnics, was among several people arrested in connection with a fireworks explosion in Yolo County in July 2025.
Chee was arrested by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in Bay Lake, Florida, on Thursday, April 9, according to jail records. The address of his arrest matches the location of Disney World’s Hollywood Studios.
It is not currently clear how he was tracked down to Florida in order for the arrest to be made.
At the time of the deadly incident, a fire broke out following a series of explosions that involved commercial fireworks and ammunition, according to WESH. Authorities said that neither the firework companies nor the property had required the local permits to store fireworks prior to the incident.
Devastating Pyrotechnics worked with firework company Blackstar Fireworks to put on the show.
Chee is now facing multiple charges, which include seven counts of murder and one count of conspiracy. Chee is currently being held in the Orange County Jail.
He attended his arraignment hearing on Friday, April 10, where a judge denied him bail.
In addition to Chee, six other people were also arrested for their connection to the deadly fireworks explosion. Samuel Machado, Tammy Machado, Jack Y. Lee, Gary Young Chan Jr., Craig Cutright and Ronald Botelho II have been identified as the other people arrested.
KCRA reported that Cutright is booked in Yolo County and is being held on a $500,000 bail. Cutright, who is the owner of Blackstar Fireworks, is also listed as an employee of Devastating Pyrotechnics and is a volunteer firefighter for the Esparto Fire District.
He has been charged with four counts of conspiracy to commit crimes, two counts of possession of explosives illegally, one count of making a destructive device without a permit, one count of possession of a destructive device that’s prohibited, one count of possession of explosives in a public place, two counts of giving explosives to a person without a permit and one additional unspecified count.
Meanwhile, Samuel and Tammy Machado own the facility where both companies operated the fireworks.
It’s not currently clear if anyone arrested in connection to the case has entered a plea or retained legal counsel following their arrests.
The Yolo County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to Us Weekly’s request for comment regarding the case.
