July 4 Fireworks Deaths, Injuries Reported Across US Amid Rising Trend

AMERICA — At least three people — including a child — died and more were injured in fireworks accidents across America over the July 4 holiday.

In Montebello, California, police reportedly found a severely injured man unconscious and not breathing around 6:30 p.m. Monday. He died at a hospital and reportedly used illegal fireworks.

In Mount Vernon, Indiana, 11-year-old Camrynn Ray McMichael died in a firework accident Sunday night. Police were investigating his death.

The boy’s mother said he was an honor roll student who loved sports and his little sister.

And in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, an 18-year-old was severely wounded on his hands and face when a firework exploded. The man died at the hospital.

The July 4 deaths come after two men were reportedly charged with murder in a fireworks-related house explosion near Black Jack, Missouri, that left four people dead, including two teen boys ages 16 and 17.

Historical data shows the U.S. can expect to see countless more people wounded in fireworks incidents this year; a new report by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission found a significant rising trend in such injuries.

Between 2006 and 2021, fireworks injuries soared 25 percent in the United States, the commission estimated.

Last year, at least nine people died, and an estimated 11,500 were injured in firework-related incidents.

“It’s imperative that consumers know the risks involved in using fireworks, so injuries and tragedies can be prevented. The safest way to enjoy fireworks is to watch the professional displays,” Alex Hoehn-Saric, the commission chair, said in a statement.

Of the nine deaths, six were associated with firework misuse and one was associated with a faulty mortar launch. In two of the deaths, the circumstances weren't known.

Additionally, there were an estimated 11,500 emergency room-treated injuries involving fireworks in 2021. That was down from 15,600 in 2020, when many public shows were canceled due to the pandemic.

Young adults ages 20 to 24 saw the highest estimated rate of emergency department-treated, fireworks-related injuries.

Indeed, a 14-year-old boy in Federal Way, Washington, lost his hand last month while playing with fireworks. A 10-year-old boy was also seriously hurt.

Their lives "are forever changed over one decision, to play with fireworks," the fire department said at the time. "Our hearts go out to both boys as they work through the next phase in their lives."

And early Saturday, a man blew off his hand in a fireworks accident in Lauderdale Lakes, Florida. Friends rushed him to a nearby hospital. In that incident, first responders realized he left his missing hand behind. They found the hand and brought it separately to the hospital. The victim’s friend told a local media outlet doctors couldn't reattach the hand.