MACOMB COUNTY, Mich. – The owner of a Clinton Township business that caught fire and saw several explosions, killing a teenager with flying debris, is expected to appear in court on Thursday.
The fiery explosion happened on March 4, 2024, in the area of 15 Mile Road and Groesbeck Highway. Thousands of containers of combustible gas that were stored in the building caused continuous explosions. The debris field stretched at least a half-mile in every direction, according to officials.
A 19-year-old from Clinton Township was struck in the head by flying debris and died from his injuries.
“All of a sudden, the ceiling started shaking,” Kevin Zaytuna, a smoke shop employee, said on Thursday. “I went under my desk and put my hands behind my head. My desk is a thick executive office desk, so I felt pretty safe, and then my first reaction was that it was an earthquake or a train hit us because we were right next to the railroad.”
Zaytuna, who is also Kestou’s cousin, said that he had noticed “weird” behavior from Kestou in the weeks leading up to the fire.
He testified that he was asked to record the fire on video and sent it to Kestou.“Within 10 minutes, we started hearing small explosions,” he said. “Then it started to intensify. So as we started filming, the ground started shaking and we started getting further and further away.”
Find full coverage of the Clinton Township explosion here.
While Clinton Township police and fire crews were investigating the cause of the fire, they learned that the building’s owner and operator, Noor Noel Kestou, had purchased a one-way plane ticket to Hong Kong. Kestou, 31, was set to depart from the JFK International Airport in New York.
An arrest warrant for Kestou was authorized. He was arrested at the airport. Clinton Township detectives flew to New York and took him into custody on April 24.
The business owner—believed to be the only owner of the Clinton Township business—was charged with one count of involuntary manslaughter, a 15-year felony.
Kestou is expected to return to court on May 22, 2025, for a preliminary examination. During the hearing, prosecutors will present evidence to a judge, who will determine whether there is enough evidence for the case to proceed to trial.
