Akron police discovered a large, illegal fireworks manufacturing operation inside a North Akron home Wednesday evening, forcing them to call the Summit County Bomb Squad.
Inspector Bill Holland said more than 1,000 finished and potentially dangerous fireworks were seized.
Some were as powerful as M-1000's and as large as bricks or footballs, according to police.
Akron police were first called to the home in the 1000 block of Chalker Street around 10 p.m. for a domestic situation.
According to a police report, a woman told officers that her boyfriend, Paul Plazak, 52, threw her into a wall, shoved her down and tried to choke her.
After officers took the suspect into custody, the victim told police that Plazak was making pipe bombs and fireworks in the house.
Police said officers were shown the operation and discovered aluminum powder, other explosive chemicals and finished large fireworks comparable to those used in large-scale fireworks shows. No pipe bombs were discovered.
"The materials themselves are very dangerous. The flash powder, if it's in a room and someone walks by, the static electricity from their shoes can basically set off that powder. That's very dangerous which can then cause a chain reaction with the other devices," Holland said.
Officers called the Akron Fire Department, who deemed the chemicals and completed fireworks to be stable. Evacuations were not necessary.
The Summit County Bomb Squad was called to inventory and take safe possession of the illegal fireworks which will be destroyed at a later date.
Sheriff's deputies and Akron police officers were seen carrying about two dozen boxes from the home that police said contained dozens of finished fireworks along with ingredients and assorted tools used in firework manufacturing.
Plazak was charged with illegal assembly or possession of chemical or substances for the manufacture of prohibited weapons, disrupting public services, domestic violence, menacing and unlawful possession of dangerous ordinance.
He was booked into the Summit County Jail. On Thursday, his bond was set at $25,000.
