Owner of Clinton Twp. building that exploded in March charged with manslaughter

A Commerce man who owned and operated the Clinton Township building where a massive explosion happened in March, killing a bystander who was hit by debris from a half mile away, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter, according to prosecutors.

Noor Noel Kestou, 31, owned the building where Select Distributors and the Goo Smoke Shop operated on 15 Mile. It exploded March 4 due to thousands of cans of Nitrous oxide and butane being stored in the building, according to a press release from the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office.

In the explosion, canisters flew through the air, one of which struck 19-year-old Turner Lee Salter in the head, killing him. Salter was half a mile away from the explosion site and died from blunt force trauma to the head, Macomb County Medical Examiner Dr. Mary Pietrangelo said.

Township officials said Salter was near a car wash while the fire was burning, and they think he was observing what was happening when he got hit by a flying projectile.

"Our hearts ache for the family and loved ones of the young man whose life was tragically cut short by this devastating explosion. We are steadfast in our commitment to pursuing justice and holding the individual accountable for their actions,” Macomb County Prosecutor Pete Lucido said in a statement.

Lucido said he plans to have a press conference Friday on the charges with Clinton Township Police Chief Dina Caringi and Clinton Township Supervisor Bob Cannon. Cannon declined to comment Thursday.

Kestou's attorney, James Thomas, did not immediately respond for comment Thursday. 

Tim Berlin, pastor of Faith Baptist Church in Clinton Township, where Salter and his relatives worship, remembered the teenager as a "kind person" with a "sweet personality" who had a reputation for being dependable and responsible. Salter helped out in the church's media department, Berlin said.

Clinton Twp. explosions shot debris 2 miles away, felt like 'war zone,' officials say

Cannon said after the fire that the canisters were not on the premises legally.

The explosion started a massive fire that destroyed the building and shot debris as far as two miles away, according to township officials. Firefighter Matt Myers was injured in the blaze.

It took a week for the site to cool down enough for investigators to begin poking around inside the remains of the building, Cannon said in March.

Clinton Township blast site inspection done, but others remain, supervisor says

Noor Kestou faces up to 15 years in prison if he is convicted. He was arraigned in 41-B District Court in Clinton Township and his bond was set at $500,000 cash/surety.

Questions remain about what agency or agencies regulate the materials found at the site. Several federal or state agencies contacted by The Detroit News — including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy — said they don't manage the storage of butane and nitrous oxide at the site. The Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration, however, said it regulates workplace safety at most industries in Michigan, but it wasn't investigating the incident.

Reporter Anne Snabes contributed to this report.