From Michigan to California, July 4th firework mishaps claimed lives and injured dozens

A woman died and nine other people suffered injuries after fireworks exploded at a Michigan home. A man in Kentucky was killed trying to light a commercial-grade firework with a homemade mortar tube.

These incidents are among nearly a half-dozen reported firework-related fatalities police and fire officials said have taken place across the nation during this year’s Fourth of July festivities.

Below is a round-up of deaths as well as and other major pyrotechnic-related injuries reported so far across the U.S.

Firework-related deaths 2023

• In Texas, Jared Scott Maddox, 58, of Gilmer, died and four others were hurt Tuesday morning when a house caught on fire from “fireworks explosions and other volatile incendiaries,” according to the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office.
• In Kentucky, Brian Simpson, 48, of Florence, died Tuesday night after deputies determined Simpson was attempting to light a commercial-grade firework using a homemade mortar tube, the Boone County Sheriff’s Office said.
• In Missouri, police said fireworks Tuesday night likely sparked a garage fire at a home that killed a St. Charles County man, the St. Louis Dispatch reported. His identity was not immediately released.
• In Michigan, 10 people, including a 43-year-old woman who died, suffered injuries in Park Township Monday night after a home fireworks explosion. Several area homes and vehicles were also damaged, the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office said. The woman’s identity was not released.

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Firework-related injuries 2023

• In Connecticut, NBC reported two people including a 16-year-old girl were injured Tuesday when an illegal fireworks display stand in Somers tipped over and launched toward a crowd.
• In Massachusetts, a 40-year-old man suffered “traumatic injuries” to his leg and hand from a firework explosion in Yarmouth, the Yarmouth Fire Department told CBS.
• In Illinois, a 22-year-old man and an 18-year-old man from London Mills, suffered hand and fingers amputations while shooting off fireworks Tuesday, the Knox County Sheriff’s Department said.
• Also in Illinois, a 58-year-old man was critically injured after a firework exploded in his face in Cary on Sunday night, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office said.
• In Los Angeles, a man lost part of his hand while lighting fireworks in an intersection, KTLA reported.
• In New Jersey, a person suffered severe burns after a home fireworks display ignited and struck a group of people on a nearby barge Monday night. The Byram Township Police Department said three people were arrested on charges in connection to the case including reckless endangerment.
• In Michigan, several people suffered minor injuries, and one person was taken to a hospital Monday night after fireworks landed in a crowd during a fireworks celebration in Allegan, the city told CBS. 
• In Indiana, a man was injured Sunday after a mortar firework was launched into his vehicle, Fox 59 reported. Police are looking for a suspect.

More than 10,000 fireworks-related injuries were treated in emergency rooms in the U.S. last year, including 11 fireworks-related deaths, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

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Best practices when lighting fireworks

To safely enjoy fireworks, the National Safety Council recommends enjoying fireworks at public displays conducted by professionals and not using fireworks at home, the council said on its website. 

If you must set off fireworks at home, the council recommends the following:

• Do not use illegal fireworks
• Never allow young children to handle fireworks
• Children should use them only under close adult supervision
• Never use fireworks while impaired by drugs or alcohol
• Anyone using fireworks or standing nearby should wear protective eyewear
• Never hold lighted fireworks in your hands
• Never light them indoors
• Only use them away from people, houses and flammable material
• Never point or throw fireworks at another person
• Only light one device at a time and maintain a safe distance after lighting
• Never ignite devices in a container
• Do not try to re-light or handle malfunctioning fireworks
• Soak both spent and unused fireworks in water for a few hours before discarding
• Keep a bucket of water nearby to fully extinguish fireworks that don’t go off or in case of fire
• Instead of sparklers, consider using safer alternatives, such as glow sticks, confetti poppers or colored streamers