Four Fourth of July fireworks displays across the country have already ended in disaster – with two dead, one man in critical condition and more than a dozen injured in chaotic scenes.
A 43-year-old woman died Monday in a late-night explosion at a Michigan home while a missile slammed into a crowded crowd during a public demonstration in the same state, leaving a child hospitalized.
Meanwhile, a 58-year-old man is in critical condition at an Illinois hospital after a powerful missile was fired in his face while he looked down the tube to find out why it hadn’t exploded.
The next day, July 4, one person died and four others were injured in an explosion that ended in a major fire in the Northeast Texas hamlet of Cambridge.
According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), an estimated 10,200 Americans suffered injuries from fireworks in 2022, including 11 reported deaths.
A staggering 73 percent of these injuries occurred in the month surrounding the 4th of July.
A 43-year-old woman died in an overnight explosion at a home in Park Township, near Holland, Michigan
Boxes scattered among rubble at the crime scene showed Evil Priest-type firecrackers being set off at the Park Township house show – but it is unknown which firecracker was involved in the deadly blast
Nine people were also injured at the Park Township home show, and several nearby homes and vehicles were badly damaged by the blasts
The 43-year-old woman died just after 11 p.m. Monday in an explosion at a house show on Main Street in Park Township, near her western Michigan hometown of Holland, officials said.
Nine people were injured in the incident and taken to the hospital in conditions ranging from minor to critical injuries, according to the sheriff’s office.
Several nearby homes and vehicles in Park Township were also damaged by the blasts.
Photos from Fox News show colorful firework wrappers scattered across a lawn – including hundreds of rockets with names like “Evil Priest” and “The Chronic”.
A car window near the scene of the accident is smashed while debris is scattered hundreds of yards across the grass.
It is not known which fireworks were involved in the deadly blast and a lieutenant at the scene told Fox afterwards that it was unclear if any fireworks malfunctioned or if they were misused.
Four fireworks disasters have been recorded in Michigan, Illinois and Texas, two of which have been confirmed fatal
Among other things, packaging pictured at the location of the Park Township home show “The Chronic” exploded. Fireworks exploded among other things. It is not known which fireworks were involved in the deadly explosion
Videos of Evil Priest, produced by the World-Class Fireworks brand, show the pyrotechnics developing from a light crackle to a large, chaotic cloud of sparks that shoots out in all directions in just 93 seconds.
The Evil Priest firecrackers retail for $65.00 and come with a safety warning: “Caution: You will produce a shower of sparks” and “May reignite – pour water on after use”.
Thirty miles south of the deadly fireworks scene in Allegan City, a public fireworks display ended in disaster after a pyrotechnician misfired into hundreds of people around 10:30 p.m. that same evening.
The city’s fire department said pyrotechnics shot into the audience area during the show, which marked the conclusion of the city’s July 3 anniversary event.
According to WoodTV, several people suffered minor injuries and a child was taken to the hospital for a check-up.
The city of Allegan released a statement Tuesday morning clarifying what happened and saying its thoughts are with everyone affected by this unintended incident.
“During the fireworks, a fireworks cake from the next show accidentally landed in a crowd east of one of the[launch points],” the statement said.
“This resulted in a handful of minor injuries, all but one of which were treated at the scene.”
“One person was taken to Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital for further evaluation.”
An onlooker said an unexploded firework landed between his toddler’s legs but was thrown away from her before causing injury, according to Fox News.
Another witness told the channel that she had to flee the exhibition with her three children, including a three-week-old baby, adding that two of her relatives suffered minor burns.
At the Allegan City public screening, several firecrackers exploded in a crowd
The Allegan Fire District says the incident at the fair is under investigation and the City of Allegan will provide more information in due course.
Across Lake Michigan, where the first two incidents occurred, massive fireworks exploded in the face of an Illinois man, leaving him in critical condition in the hospital.
According to authorities, the incident happened Sunday night on Hickory Nut Grove Road in the village of Cary, north of Chicago, Illinois.
The 58-year-old man is said to have checked the hose from the fireworks to find out why it hadn’t ignited.
“He set off fireworks that didn’t go off as expected,” the Lake County Sheriff’s Office said.
“The man looked into the tube that held the fireworks and it blew up, hit his face and then exploded.”
The fireworks were one of many commercial fireworks at the scene and the remaining ones were turned over to a bomb squad for destruction.
They usually require a permit to possess and blow up, the sheriff’s office said, and criminal charges are not ruled out.
The next day, July 4, at about 10:30 a.m., one person died and four others were injured in a fireworks explosion on Locust Road in northeast Texas, near the Oklahoma border.
The Upshur County Sheriff’s Office said rescue workers responded to reports of a major fire at the site after an explosion involving fireworks and other incendiary materials.
Investigators believe an accident occurred while fireworks were being prepared for an event later in the day and there is no suspicion of third-party fault.
Details of this more recent incident are being released at this time.
The 43-year-old woman died just after 11 p.m. Monday in an explosion at a house show on Main Street in Park Township, near her western Michigan hometown of Holland
A spectator at the botched Allegan City screening said an unexploded firework landed between his toddler’s legs but was ejected from her before injury occurred
The incidents came two days after a Texas father issued a strong warning about the dangers of fireworks after his teenage son suffered horrific injuries while playing with pyrotechnics in the front yard.
Nate Weston, then 17, was setting off firecrackers in his family’s Houston-area front yard to celebrate the 2021 holidays when a pyro article detonated while he was still in the tube – prompting the teenager to shield his face with his arm .
His father and David said Nate “did everything right” in setting up the blast and backed away from it.
David, who is also a paramedic, had to treat his son while his arm was bleeding and the bones in his wrist were ‘decimated’, leaving him with permanent injuries.
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), an estimated 10,200 Americans would suffer firework-related injuries in 2022 — 73 percent of which occurred in the month surrounding July 4th.
Last year, eleven fatalities were recorded from fireworks, five of which were related to pyrotechnic misuse. The victims were between 11 and 43 years old.
A staggering 43 percent of fireworks tested by the CPSC contained illegal components that could cause serious injury — including non-compliant igniters, prohibited chemicals and an overload of pyrotechnic materials.
Nate Weston, then 17, was setting off firecrackers in his family’s front yard in the Houston area while on vacation in 2021 when a disaster struck and his arm was permanently damaged
Debris littered the ground at the site of the deadly Park Township demonstration Monday night
The CPSC urges consumers to either leave fireworks to the professionals or take steps to safely party while using consumer-grade fireworks.
“Fireworks are beautiful to look at, but they can be deadly if mishandled or misused, or if the fireworks themselves contain illegal ingredients,” said Alex Hoehn-Saric, chairman of the commission.
“I urge everyone to exercise caution around fireworks, only use fireworks labeled for consumer use, and always keep children away from fireworks, including sparklers.”
“We want everyone to have a fun and safe celebration.”
The commission recommends keeping young children away from fireworks, including sparklers, which burn at temperatures around 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, and having a bucket of water or a garden hose on hand in case of a mishap.
It is also recommended to check that fireworks are labeled for consumer rather than professional use and to avoid using fireworks when intoxicated or on drugs.