On April 20, Noor Noel Kestou was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York as he attempted to board a plane to Hong Kong on a one-way ticket. U.S. Customs and Port Authority officials detained Kestou, 31, at the airport after discovering that he was wanted by authorities in Michigan for his involvement in a fatal fire and explosion at his suburban Detroit business.
Kestou, a resident of Commerce Township, owned Goo, a distributor for the vaping industry located in Clinton Township. The building housing Goo contained over 100,000 vape pens and received a shipment of butane canisters shortly before the explosion on March 4. The blast ejected canisters up to 2 miles and more than half of the stock remained in the building when the fire ignited. Turner Lee Salter, 19, was fatally injured by a nitrous oxide canister that traveled a quarter of a mile due to the explosion.
Officials indicated that Kestou had been considered a suspect from the start due to his ownership of the business. However, Peter Lucido, Macomb County Prosecutor, expressed uncertainty about Kestou’s intentions behind attempting to flee the country for Hong Kong. Lucido emphasized that due to Kestou’s ownership of the business, he had been considered a suspect from the start. Goo had obtained an occupancy permit in September 2022 to operate as a retail location selling vape-related merchandise.
Kestou was released after paying a $500,000 bond and is now required to wear a GPS tracker as a condition of his release. A probable cause hearing is set for May 7 at Clinton Township District Court. James Thomas, Kestou’s attorney, declined to comment on the case, leaving many unanswered questions regarding the tragic incident and its aftermath.
The incident highlights the dangers associated with handling flammable substances such as butane canisters in commercial settings and raises questions about regulations governing such businesses.
In conclusion, Noor Noel Kestou’s arrest at JFK airport while attempting to flee for Hong Kong has brought attention to his involvement in an incident that resulted in fatalities and property damage at his suburban Detroit business called Goo
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