Attorney General's News Release

February 21, 2008

Nixon shuts down fire extinguisher inspection business, warns more equipment could be faulty

Jefferson City, Mo. — A Cabool man who may have put hundreds of businesses in danger of being unable to fight a fire has been shut down, thanks to a court order obtained by Attorney General Jay Nixon. Nixon says Fred McNew, who used the name Missouri Fire Extinguisher Company, collected money from nearly 100 businesses over the last five years to inspect and service their firefighting equipment. An investigation found that McNew did not properly service many of those extinguishers, creating a dangerous situation as well as committing consumer fraud.

Even more disturbing, Nixon says there could be hundreds of other extinguishers that were serviced improperly by McNew or not at all. Therefore, Nixon says it’s critical that any business that had an extinguisher serviced by McNew or Missouri Fire Extinguisher Company have another inspection immediately. Most fire departments can recommend a reputable inspection service.

“We see the often tragic forms consumer fraud can take, but it is unusual for us to see a case that involves such a dangerous threat to life and property,” Nixon said. “Mr. McNew not only cheated these consumers out of their money, he left them with the very scary prospect of being unable to put out a fire. We are gravely concerned about potentially hundreds more vulnerable business owners across southern Missouri who don’t realize they are in danger.”

The judgment, ordered by Laclede County Associate Circuit Judge Christine Hutson, permanently bans McNew from the fire extinguisher business, and forbids him from any future violations of Missouri’s consumer protection laws. It also requires McNew to return $6,000 in restitution to more than 30 businesses who paid him for his services. He must also pay more than $30,000 in fines. Further, he must submit to Nixon’s office a list of everyone who hired him to service equipment in the past six years.

Nixon says much of the credit for shutting down McNew goes to the Lebanon police and fire departments, which originally discovered the faulty inspections and collected much of the evidence.

Anyone with questions can contact Nixon’s Consumer Protection Hotline at 1-800-392-8222 or file complaints online at ago.mo.gov.

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Inquiries from consumers should be directed to consumer@ago.mo.gov or 1-800-392-8222 (from within Missouri) or 573-751-3321 (outside Missouri).

All media inquiries should be directed to Press Secretary John Fougere.

E-mail      Phone: 573-751-8844         Fax: 573-751-5818