Fireworks are very dangerous things. Beautiful, sure, but it's really important to know just how dangerous they can be.
And one especially tragic example didn't even happen on July 4th - it was during the clean-up. As reported by People, Jason Turner was helping with the clean-up effort from the holiday when the incident occurred.
Police officers reported that they had responded to a report of an "explosion causing an injury". They had been called to the parking lot of Point St. George Beach in Crescent City, California, on Sunday, July 5.
Police explained that the injury was severe. This meant he needed to be transported to Sutter Coast Hospital via ambulance. It was later reported that he had been transferred to another hospital for further treatment.
While authorities didn't originally identify the man, his daughter, Ashley Turner, started a GoFundMe to raise medical costs. A picture of him on the fundraiser shows the extent of his injuries.
In the fundraiser, she explained that he was walking along the beach with his girlfriend. They were picking up trash from the festivities the night before, when tragedy struck.
He had picked up a "bomb-like device that unexpectedly went off." "He went down to pick it up, and I was like, 'No', and then that was the last thing I remembered," his girlfriend recalled.
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How Do I Stay Safe When Handling Fireworks?
Authorities have stressed that firework safety is paramount. And while you might not be handling firework trash yourself, it's important to have a fresh reminder every now and then on how to keep safe.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has released some key safety tips with the use of fireworks.
These are:
- Never allow children to play with or ignite fireworks, including sparklers.
- Make sure fireworks are legal in your area before buying or using them.
- Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy in case of fire or other mishap.
- Light fireworks one at a time, then move back quickly.
- Never try to re-light or pickup fireworks that have not ignited fully.
- Never use fireworks while impaired by alcohol or drugs.
