Malfunctioning Fireworks Cause Severe Injuries to Man in Florida

August 22, 2012

Fireworks are supposed to be fun and entertaining. Unfortunately, a recent fireworks show at the Pasco County, Florida, fairgrounds ended with the injury of one of the workers who was setting off the display. A faulty mortar exploded near him, leaving him with severe injuries to his face and hands.

When even experienced, trained professionals can be hurt while using fireworks, it is imperative for everyone to be aware of the dangers of fireworks.

Fireworks Injury Statistics

According to the Consumer Products Safety Commission, an alarming number of fireworks injuries occurred in the last two years: about 9,600 in 2011 and 8,600 in the previous year. Additionally, four people died setting off fireworks in 2010, and another four died in 2011. In 2011, about 65 percent of the injuries happened between June 17 and July 17, all the victims were male, and the deadly fireworks were all illegal or homemade devices.

About two out of three fireworks injury victims are male, according to the CPSC, and about a fourth are children under the age of 15. Firecrackers, sparklers and bottle rockets, which many people may consider relatively harmless, account for a significant proportion of the injuries that send victims to emergency rooms. About half the injuries involve fingers and hands, the most common body parts affected. Burns are the most frequent type of injury.

Causes of Fireworks Injuries

The CPSC determined that injuries usually result from misusing fireworks or, like the injury to the fairgrounds fireworks worker, from fireworks malfunctioning. Some fireworks go off early or late, some take unexpected paths of flight, and some launching tubes topple over. Human error includes lighting fireworks when people are too close, holding fireworks instead of setting them on the ground, and taking fireworks apart.

The company that put on the Pasco County fairgrounds display is cooperating in the investigation of the incident but holds out little hope that it can determine who manufactured the defective device that injured its employee. A company spokesperson said that detonating fireworks remotely instead of lighting them by hand is a possibility, but is much more expensive.

Anyone who suffers an injury due to faulty or negligently used fireworks should contact a personal injury attorney as he or she may be entitled to recovery of medical expenses, lost wages or pain and suffering.

Article provided by Mitchell Lloyd Feldman, Esq.
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