Several July 4th firework displays across the nation have already ended in disaster – with one woman dead, one man in a critical condition, and more than a dozen people hurt in chaotic scenes on the eve of Independence Day.
A 43-year-old woman died amid a late-night explosion at a Michigan home on Monday, while a rocket misfired into a densely-packed crowd during a public display in the same state, leaving one child needing hospital treatment.
Meanwhile, a 58-year-old man is in a critical condition at an Illinois hospital after a powerful rocket fired in his face as he was looking inside the tubing to determine why it had not detonated.
This comes as an estimated 10,200 Americans suffered fireworks-related injuries in 2022, including 11 reported deaths, according to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
An astonishing 73 percent of these injuries occurred during the month surrounding the July 4th holiday.
A 43-year-old woman died amid a late-night explosion at a home in Park Township, near Holland in Michigan
Boxes strewn amid debris at the scene showed ‘Evil Priest’ fireworks were detonated at the Park Township home display – though it is not known which firework was involved in the fatal explosion
Nine people were also injured at the Park Township home display, and several nearby homes and vehicles were badly damaged by the explosions
The 43-year-old woman died amid an explosion at a home display on Main Street in Park Township, close to her home city of Holland, west Michigan, sometime after 11pm on Monday, officials said.
Nine people were hurt during the incident and taken to hospital, with their conditions ranging from minor injuries to critical, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Several nearby homes and vehicles in Park Township were also damaged by the explosions.
Photographs by Fox News show brightly-colored firework packaging strewn across a lawn – including hundreds of rockets with names like ‘Evil Priest’ and ‘The Chronic’.
A car window close to the scene is smashed, while debris is scattered for hundreds of yards across the grass.
It is not known which firework was involved in the fatal explosion, and a lieutenant at the scene told Fox in the aftermath that it is unclear whether any fireworks malfunctioned or if they were being used incorrectly.
Three firework disasters on the eve of Independence Day were recorded in Michigan and Illinois – with one confirmed as fatal
Packaging pictured at the scene of the Park Township home show ‘The Chronic’ fireworks were detonated, among others. It is not known which firework was involved in the fatal explosion
Videos of Evil Priest, which is produced by the World-Class Fireworks brand, shows the pyrotechnic grow over 93 seconds from a mild crackling display to a large, chaotic cloud of sparks firing in all directions.
Sold for $65.00, Evil Priest fireworks come with a safety warning reading: ‘Caution: emits showers of sparks’ and ‘may reignite – shower with water after use’.
Thirty miles south of the fatal firework scene, in Allegan City a public firework display ended in catastrophe after a pyrotechnic misfired into hundreds of people at around 10.30pm the same evening.
The city’s fire service said the pyrotechnic shot into the spectator area during the show, which was the conclusion of the city’s July 3 Jubilee event.
Several people suffered minor injuries and one child was taken to hospital for evaluation, according to WoodTV.
The City of Allegan released a statement Tuesday morning clarifying what happened, saying their ‘thoughts are with all of those who were affected by this unintentional incident’.
‘During the firework display, a firework cake from the proximate show unintentionally landed in a crowd located to the east of one of the (launch points), the statement said.
‘This resulted in a handful of minor injuries, all but one of which was treated at the site of the incident.
‘One individual was transported to Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital for further evaluation.’
One spectator said an unexploded firework landed between his toddler’s legs, but was thrown away from her before any injuries occurred, according to Fox News.
Another witness told the broadcaster she had to run away from the display with her three children, including a three-week-old baby, adding that two of her relatives suffered minor burns.
Multiple fireworks exploded into a crowd of onlookers at Allegan City’s public display
The Allegan Fire District says that the incident at the show is currently under investigation and that the City of Allegan will provide more information in due course.
Just across Lake Michigan from the first two incidents, a powerful firework exploded in an Illinois man’s face, leaving him in a critical condition in hospital.
Authorities said 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 believed to have been checking the tubing of the firework to determine why it had not taken off.
‘He lit a firework, which did not detonate as expected,’ the Lake County sheriff’s office said.
‘The man looked into the tube housing the firework and it discharged, striking his face and then exploding.’
The firework was one of many commercial-grade fireworks at the scene, and those remaining were given to a bomb squad for destruction.
They typically require a permit to possess and detonate, the sheriff’s office said, and criminal charges have not been ruled out.
The 43-year-old woman died amid an explosion at a home display on Main Street in Park Township, close to her home city of Holland, west Michigan, sometime after 11pm on Monday
One spectator at the botched Allegan City display said an unexploded firework landed between his toddler’s legs, but was thrown away from her before any injuries occurred
The incidents come two days after a Texas dad shared a stark warning about the dangers of fireworks after his teenage son suffered horrific injuries while playing with pyrotechnics in their front yard.
Nate Weston, then 17, was popping fireworks in his family’s Houston-area front yard for the holiday in 2021, when one pyrotechnic exploded while it was still in the tube – prompting the teenager to shield his face with his arm.
His father and David, said Nate did ‘everything right’ when setting up the explosion and backed away from it.
David, who is also a paramedic, had to treat his son while blood poured out of his arm and the bones in his wrist were ‘decimated’, leaving him with permanent damage.
An estimated 10,200 Americans suffered fireworks-related injuries in 2022 – 73 percent of these occurring in the month surrounding July 4th – according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
Eleven fireworks fatalities were recorded last year, and five were associated with pyrotechnic misuse, with victims ranging in age from 11 to 43 years old.
An astonishing 43 percent of fireworks tested by the CPSC were found to contain illegal components that could cause severe injuries – including non-compliant fuses, prohibited chemicals, and an overload of pyrotechnic materials.
Nate Weston, then 17, was popping fireworks in his family’s Houston-area front yard for he holiday in 2021 when disaster struck and his arm was permanently damaged
Debris was strewn across the ground at the scene of the fatal Park Township display Monday night
The CPSC is urging consumers to either leave fireworks to the professionals or take steps to celebrate safely when using consumer-grade fireworks.
‘Fireworks are beautiful to watch, but they can be deadly when mishandled or misused, or if the fireworks themselves contain illegal components,’ said the commission’s Chair Alex Hoehn-Saric.
‘I urge everyone to use care around fireworks, only use fireworks labeled for consumer use, and always keep children far away from fireworks, including sparklers.
‘We want everyone to have a fun and safe celebration.’
The commission advises keeping young children away from fireworks, including sparklers – which burn at temperatures of around 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit – and keeping a bucket of water or garden hose handy in case of a mishap.
It also recommends checking that any fireworks are labeled for consumers, rather than for professional use, and avoiding using fireworks when drunk or on drugs.
