Law enforcement believes improperly stored chemicals led to explosion
By Maria Prato-Gaines, Staff Writer
A Cranbury man was charged Friday with improperly storing chemicals in his car, allegedly causing it to explode in his driveway.
Dalbir Sethi, 65, of Plainsboro Road, was charged by the New Jersey State Police with one count of causing or risking wide-spread injury or damage and one count of obstructing the administration of law, said Sgt. Julian Castellanos, spokesman for the state police.
The charges stem from a Sept. 25 car explosion and car fire at Mr. Sethi’s home that drew investigators from the Cranbury Police Department, the state police and agents from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms.
Sgt. Castellanos said he was unable to confirm either the time or location where the arrest occurred.
Mr. Sethi appeared in front of Superior Court Judge Barbara Stolte in New Brunswick on Friday where his bail was set at $35,000.
Sgt. Stephen Jones, also a spokesman for the state police, said investigators believe Mr. Sethi had transported the chemical from his workplace, FMC Corp., a Philadelphia-based chemical company involved with the manufacturing of agricultural, specialty and industrial chemicals.
Authorities are not releasing any information concerning the type of chemicals that are believed to have been stored in the vehicle at the time of the incident, Sgt. Jones said.
Mr. Sethi also currently has a patent on an invention that relates to an improved method for recovering hydrogen peroxide in an auto-oxidation process, according to freshpatents.com.
No one was available for comment from the Middlesex County Prosecutors Office or the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center Monday evening.