JimBob
07-08-2009, 04:35 PM
Man dies from injuries in fireworks explosion
DIBBLE — A 26-year-old man died Sunday from injuries he suffered when he was holding a lit firework a day earlier.
Richard Hines apparently had been drinking Saturday night when he lit the fuse of an artillery shell aerial firework and held the reloadable fiberglass launching tube above his head, McClain County Sheriff Don Hewett said. Instead of launching into the air, the shell exploded and shot out the bottom of the fiberglass tube.
"From what I heard, it exploded on his head, and he lost three fingers and a thumb," Hewett said. "There were several people standing fairly close to him, and they were knocked down from the concussion of the blast."
Hewett said the explosion occurred about 9:50 p.m., when relatives had gathered at Hines' home near Dibble for Fourth of July celebrations.
Hines was taken to the University of Oklahoma Medical Center in Oklahoma City, where he died Sunday.
Hewett said the artillery shell was "not quite like the professional fireworks like you see," but that it was "powerful enough."
"I just can't believe someone would do that," he said. "I mean, it's even dangerous to handle a Roman candle, much less these high-powered mortar rockets."
— Johnny Johnson, The Oklahoman
DIBBLE — A 26-year-old man died Sunday from injuries he suffered when he was holding a lit firework a day earlier.
Richard Hines apparently had been drinking Saturday night when he lit the fuse of an artillery shell aerial firework and held the reloadable fiberglass launching tube above his head, McClain County Sheriff Don Hewett said. Instead of launching into the air, the shell exploded and shot out the bottom of the fiberglass tube.
"From what I heard, it exploded on his head, and he lost three fingers and a thumb," Hewett said. "There were several people standing fairly close to him, and they were knocked down from the concussion of the blast."
Hewett said the explosion occurred about 9:50 p.m., when relatives had gathered at Hines' home near Dibble for Fourth of July celebrations.
Hines was taken to the University of Oklahoma Medical Center in Oklahoma City, where he died Sunday.
Hewett said the artillery shell was "not quite like the professional fireworks like you see," but that it was "powerful enough."
"I just can't believe someone would do that," he said. "I mean, it's even dangerous to handle a Roman candle, much less these high-powered mortar rockets."
— Johnny Johnson, The Oklahoman