Every year, families and friends gather together on the 4th of July to celebrate Independence Day. People all across the country fire up their grills and prepare to celebrate the day with a bang. Sadly, it’s not always fun and games for those involved.
You probably won’t be surprised to find out that emergency rooms prepare in advance for the fireworks-related injuries that are all but guaranteed every year. When you bring explosives into the mix, sometimes things can go very wrong. Tragically, that’s exactly what happened in our state this year.
Two Florida Men Killed While Setting Off Fireworks
Firework accidents took the lives of two men in our state on Independence Day 2019. Both of these deaths took place in South Florida.
In Pompano Beach, a man was killed in front of several witnesses when an explosion went wrong at his apartment complex. The man, 31, died after a mortar firework round exploded prematurely before he was able to get away from the blast radius.
In Fort Lauderdale, a second man was killed during a family fireworks celebration. Initial reports said that a Roman candle exploded while the man was holding it. The man fell to the ground immediately and he died at Broward Health Medical Center shortly after.
Firework Injury and Death Statistics
It’s tragic that a day of celebration can also bring severe injuries and deaths, but it’s the same story every year. It’s easy to take for granted just how dangerous fireworks can be. They’re more than just a pretty light show, they’re potentially lethal explosives.
Every year, lives are forever changed and sometimes forever taken by fireworks-related accidents. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission:
- In 2017, an estimated 12,900 injuries were treated in U.S. hospitals that were a direct result of fireworks accidents
- 36% of those injured by fireworks in 2017 were under the age of 15
- Between 2002 and 2017, an average of 7.25 people were killed by fireworks every single year
The 4th of July is a great time to celebrate the independence of our country with your family and friends, but it’s clearly not without its dangers. No celebration or home fireworks shows are worth a serious injury or worse.
Contact the Brooks Law Group
If you were injured in a fire-works related accident this holiday, it’s not too late to get help. Contact the Brooks Law Group for all-injury legal guidance. You can request your free case evaluation by calling our office at (800) LAW-3030 or by filling out the online case evaluation form on our website.
