By Brian Lee
The Telegram & Gazette Staff
SOUTHBRIDGE, Mass. — Fire officials said they thwarted a production company’s attempt to pull off a forbidden fire performance at a rave Saturday at the 12 Crane St. art and entertainment complex.
Also, the son of the complex’s owner was arrested for alleged cocaine dealing. Four others were arrested, three charged with possession.
There were 400 to 450 people at the rave. Most were outside, where burgers, water, fruit juices and fruit shakes were sold. Alcohol was served inside.
Fire Chief Richard J. Ciesla Jr. said he was on watch from 6:30 p.m. until closing. The number of people inside the building did not exceed its occupancy permits, and safety was never in question, fire officials said.
However, the company was not forthcoming about what the event would be, Fire Lt. Steven R. Lavoie said. In addition to meeting with the building owner and company Wednesday, and doing a walkthrough Thursday, fire officials did research on the production company. It found that some of the things it has done elsewhere were not approved by the Southbridge officials.
Though production company employees said they would comply with Southbridge officials’ requests not to have any kind of open uncontained fire, they tried to put on just that type of fire performance anyway.
“Had we (police and fire) not been on top of our game, it probably could have been a lot worse,” Lt. Lavoie said.
Keith Woods, owner of Tight Crew, the production company, said he was not told ahead of time about restrictions on a fire performance. “As soon as I was told it was an issue I made everybody that we had flown in specially - professional fire performers - they all packed it up.”
John McCarthy, 20, 19 Taft Pond Road, Pomfret, Conn., son of 12 Crane’s owner, J. Gabriel McCarthy, pleaded not guilty yesterday in Dudley District Court to conspiracy to violate the drug law, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, distributing cocaine, possession of cocaine and committing a drug violation near a school, Trinity Catholic Academy.
Judge Paul Losapio ordered Mr. McCarthy released on personal recognizance. The pretrial hearing is Aug. 16.
Also arrested were Hannah Emery, 19, of Maine; she pleaded not guilty to possessing cocaine. John McCarthy was seen giving her a bag of cocaine, which she hid in her bra, police allege.
Gabriel McCarthy said he couldn’t talk about his son’s arrest, on the advice of counsel; however, he said the substance was not cocaine. “There were some incidences. The police and fire departments were wonderful in how they handled everything.”
Mr. McCarthy added that if he were to do it again, he would change how the event was laid out.
“We try our hardest to put a stop to that,” Mr. Woods said of the drug arrests. “We search people heavily at the door. I paid eight different security guards and three detail police officers to monitor the party for anything we did miss through the door.”
He added that any similar event will attract some people who are under the influence or distributing drugs. Those arrested “should be in jail because they did something illegal. I in no way condone those acts at these events.”
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