Defective and used: Two defendants sell non-functional fire extinguishing systems to daycare centers and other

JACKSON, miss. – According to reports, Daniel Finnegan and his wife Sherri Finnegan were arrested at their Smith County home on Wednesday, August 21, 2024, and booked into the county jail. They are charged with false pretenses and violating the Mississippi Fire Code in at least 13 counties. The couple is accused of installing defective and used fire suppression systems in commercial kitchens.

The systems were not working and were not tested before being put into service, putting people at risk in the event of a fire. Mr. Finnegan also marked fire extinguishers without testing them and repainted used extinguishers, replaced parts and sold them as new. Mr. Finnegan and his wife operated their business without registering with the State Department. The company, Finnegan's Fire Safety Equipment, was based in Pelahatchie.

Finnegan sold many systems to daycare centers and other businesses. While some of these companies are well-known, the State Fire Marshal's Office (SFMO) is asking others who have purchased systems from Finnegan to report their experiences by calling 601-359-1061. The SFMO will provide resources to these businesses to replace the faulty systems with new ones, using reputable companies.

The SFMO, with assistance from the Smith County Sheriff's Office, executed a search warrant for the couple's Smith County home on Thursday morning. Based on information found during that search, more than 50 charges are pending in Adams, Covington, Hinds, Jones, Jefferson, Leake, Madison, Newton, Rankin, Warren, Winston and Yazoo Counties, in addition to the charges in Smith County.

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