Authorities are investigating an incident in which an unattended box truck carrying explosive fireworks was found at the Mount Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods at 10 a.m. on Saturday, according to a state police news release.
Fire Chief Christopher Olsen of the Twin Mountain Fire Department arrived at the Mount Washington Hotel to meet with Atlas Provision Entertainment Group Inc. from Jaffrey, who had been contracted to conduct a fireworks show at the resort.
Upon Chief Olsen’s arrival, he found an unattended box truck on the grounds of the hotel that was unlocked, with the engine running, and all of the required Hazardous Material placards missing from the vehicle.
Chief Olsen contacted Fire Investigator Christopher Wyman of the New Hampshire Fire Marshall’s Office who, along with Sergeant Carl Huddleston and Trooper First Class Sharron Kopp of the New Hampshire State Police Troop G – Motor Carrier Enforcement Unit, responded to the scene to conduct an investigation.
The investigation revealed that the fireworks were classified as a 1.3G explosive and placards were required to be displayed on all four sides of any commercial motor vehicle that contained any amount of that type of explosives. Investigator Wyman and the Troopers learned that in addition to leaving the vehicle running and unattended, that company representatives had also left the grounds of the Mount Washington Hotel.
The following Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations and Federal Hazardous Materials regulations were uncovered during at the scene:
Attendance and Surveillance of Motor Vehicles, Containing 1.3G Explosives, No Drivers Record of Duty Status, and vehicle Not Placarded As Required.
This matter is currently still under investigation and when completed will be forwarded to The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration for review.
The New Hampshire State Police was assisted by the Twin Mountain Fire Department, the New Hampshire Fire Marshall’s Office, and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
If anyone has any further information on this incident they are asked to please contact Sgt. Huddleston at 603 223- 8778 or at carl.huddleston@dos.nh.gov.
No further information is available at this time