On a quiet day in early March, a suburban Detroit building housing a vaping industry distributor named Goo erupted in a fiery explosion, propelling debris across a small Michigan community and ultimately claiming the life of a 19-year-old man. This event set off a series of investigations that culminated in a dramatic arrest at a New York airport. Noor Noel Kestou, the 31-year-old owner of the building, was apprehended by U.S. Customs and New York Port Authority personnel .
According to authorities, more than 100,000 vape pens were stored on-site, and a significant quantity of butane canisters had been delivered to the building shortly before the explosion. Among the chaos, a nitrous oxide canister fatally struck Turner Lee Salter, who was a quarter mile from the site when disaster struck. This tragic incident became a fulcrum for investigation and eventual charges of involuntary manslaughter against Kestou.
Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido was quoted saying, “He was a suspect from the beginning, being the owner of this business,” highlighting the gravity of responsibility that comes with business ownership, especially when public safety is compromised. Despite this, the motivations behind Kestou’s attempted departure remain enigmatic, with Lucido adding, “We don’t know what his ultimate goal was.”
The case presented complexities and required diligent work by authorities, as detailed by Clinton Township police Chief Dina Caringi. Detectives and the prosecutors met and authorized an arrest warrant for Kestou before the flight could leave. U.S. Customs and Border Patrol took him into custody at the airport. The arrest warrant came after tireless efforts, including numerous interviews and search warrants. The charge of involuntary manslaughter, according to Lucido, is the “highest charge that we could bring at this time based on information and evidence in the case.”
The safety measures for such businesses are now under scrutiny, with the revelation that Goo had obtained an occupancy permit for the building as a retail location for vape products. Yet, with the cause of the fire still undetermined, questions linger about the oversight and regulations that might have prevented this tragedy.
Bond for Kestou was set at $500,000 cash, and he was released from jail after posting it. As a condition of his release, Kestou must wear a GPS tether and has surrendered his passport. The incident has left the community and the family of Turner Lee Salter in search of solace and answers, as they await the upcoming court proceedings scheduled for May 7th.
Relevant articles:
– Owner of exploded Michigan building arrested at airport while trying to leave US, authorities say, The Associated Press, 04/27/2024
– Owner of exploding Michigan building arrested at airport while trying to leave US, authorities say, Yahoo! Voices, Fri, 26 Apr 2024 17:24:21 GMT
– Owner of Clinton Twp vape shop that exploded had one-way ticket to Hong Kong, arrested at JFK, FOX 2 Detroit, Fri, 26 Apr 2024 16:01:33 GMT