On a day meant for celebration, tragedy struck. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at reported cases of Fourth of July celebrations or preparations that went horribly wrong.
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00:00A rogue firework forces everybody to run for their lives."
00:05Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're looking at reported cases
00:09of Fourth of July celebrations or preparations that went horribly wrong.
00:13Another neighbor was setting off illegal fireworks before the blaze took off.
00:18The beginning of a stay safe campaign. When handling fireworks,
00:22a person's life can change in a literal flash.
00:25In 2017, Aiden Valdez was at a neighborhood block party for the fourth.
00:30One second, the Colorado teenager had a firework in his right hand.
00:33The next, there was a bright spark, and Valdez's ears were ringing.
00:37Next thing I knew, it blows up, and my ears are ringing, and then everything's white.
00:45Finding his bearings, Valdez realized his ears weren't the worst of his worries.
00:49Valdez lost four fingers on his left hand, as well as his left eye. He required
00:54four surgeries. But Valdez hasn't allowed this loss to hold him back.
00:58Valdez continued to pursue his passion for wrestling, competing in national tournaments.
01:03He became an advocate for firework safety, giving away 1,500 safety glasses.
01:08Valdez also created a coloring book full of safety tips.
01:12I just want to spread the word so it doesn't happen to any other kids.
01:16National Mall Firework Frenzy.
01:18Thousands of fireworks will light the DC skies during what's expected to be a breathtaking event.
01:24It doesn't get more patriotic than fireworks in Washington, D.C.,
01:28but the National Mall became a war zone in 1987.
01:32Kathy Eldreth was about 60 yards from the fenced-off safety zone
01:36when a flame landed on her blanket. Putting it out, Eldreth was struck in the back by a
01:41fireball the size of a softball. Eldreth was then helicoptered to the hospital,
01:45where she was treated for third-degree burns. She was one of four in the area
01:49who were hospitalized for similar injuries, while 25 more were taken to the Red Cross.
01:54Moisture in the air likely contributed to these unforeseen accidents.
01:57Over a decade later, there were still reports of children, quote,
02:01chasing the charred bits of firework paper that fell in a rain of ash.
02:05Ann says you'll see the skies rain in gold willows before the rapid-fire grand finale.
02:11A spark goes out too soon.
02:13Fire departments say without a permit, there's still too many dangers.
02:17Before even turning 21, Austin McLeod was married with a son and stepson.
02:22Only a few months after tying the knot with his new wife, McLeod was gearing up for their
02:27Independence Day festivities in the backyard. Tragically, this was the last holiday the young
02:32husband and father would celebrate with his family. McLeod planned a fireworks display for
02:36their cookout when the explosives unexpectedly went off, striking him in the head and neck.
02:41The multi-shelled launcher is believed to have malfunctioned.
02:44When McLeod went to check it, his fate was sealed.
02:47An ambulance arrived on the scene, but by the time McLeod arrived at the hospital,
02:51he was gone, the brightest little light.
02:53The community of Kaysville is in shock following a very serious incident that
02:58canceled Fourth of July events for the city.
03:01From a young age, Marcy Hill was known for spreading cheer,
03:05becoming a proud member of the Patriot Cheer All-Stars in Utah.
03:08As her GoFundMe campaign would state, Marcy passed away doing what she loved, being with her team.
03:15Hill was reportedly on a float performing with her team during the Kaysville Fourth of July parade,
03:20while trying to get candy from a trailer, she was pulled under the tires.
03:24Hill was taken to the hospital in critical condition, sadly never recovering.
03:28An investigation found no wrongdoing on behalf of the vehicle's driver or the parade organizers,
03:33but new safety measures were implemented going forward.
03:36Leaving behind her parents and three older brothers,
03:39Hill is remembered as quote, the brightest little light.
03:42I was heartbroken. I thought it was really just, it was tragic and it was just really sad.
03:48Anarchy on 6th Street Bridge.
03:50Now at 10, scenes of Independence Day chaos on LA's 6th Street Bridge,
03:55as the celebrating gets out of control in dangerous ways.
03:59For some, it isn't Fourth of July without illegal fireworks, but how far is too far?
04:04Wherever the line is, it was definitely crossed in 2023,
04:07when a group turned LA's 6th Street Bridge into the Wild West.
04:11Chaos and carelessness as revelers shot off illegal fireworks,
04:16climbed the viaduct's arches, and sped on the wrong side of the road.
04:20People set off fireworks across the bridge,
04:23with one civilian packing what looked like a homemade rocket launcher.
04:27The chaos didn't end there.
04:29The mob was seen climbing the viaduct's arches, while cars drove on the wrong side of the road.
04:34While many were endangered, there were no reported injuries.
04:37On any other night, this might have attracted the full force of the local authorities.
04:41Being July 4th, though, fires were put out all over LA,
04:45making it easier for the bridge blowout to escalate.
04:48Instant ignition.
04:50What started as a day of celebration.
04:52Everybody's probably having grill outs, families are coming together.
04:57Quickly turned into a nightmare.
04:59Not all fireworks are the same.
05:01Some are designed to be ignited manually,
05:03allowing a person enough time to reach a safe distance after lighting the fuse.
05:07This is not the kind that came into Brian Simpson's possession.
05:11The 48-year-old Kentucky man got his hands on a commercial-grade firework
05:15that was meant to be set off electronically.
05:18Whether or not Simpson knew this,
05:20he made the ill-advised decision to detonate it with a homemade mortar tube,
05:24cutting the wick in half.
05:25Without delay, the firework exploded right in front of Simpson, the injuries proving fatal.
05:31There's a lot that Simpson could have done differently,
05:33but if there's one takeaway from this cautionary tale, it's to always check the instructions.
05:38Florence Mann is dead after trying to light off a commercial-grade firework
05:43in his driveway at a 4th of July gathering.
05:46Truck explosion.
05:47Blackburn Warner was a junior firefighter that day, just 15 years old,
05:51when 680 pounds of fireworks were accidentally set off inside a truck 30 yards away from him.
05:58We're all familiar with the phrase, the show must go on.
06:01This was easier said than done for Ocracoke Island in 2009.
06:06The community was getting ready for their annual 4th of July fireworks display.
06:10Around 9am though, the truck carrying the fireworks blew up,
06:14claiming the lives of four workers inside.
06:17A fifth person in the back of the truck managed to escape,
06:20albeit with burns on his face and hands.
06:22Needless to say, there wasn't a fireworks show that night,
06:25or the following year, or the year after that.
06:28Seven years passed until fireworks returned to Ocracoke.
06:31With new laws helping to prevent another tragedy,
06:34the island decided to bring back this tradition in hopes of boosting tourism.
06:37Horn hopes this year's show will pave the way for future celebrations,
06:41and help restore a tradition on the island.
06:44Salute cannon.
06:45Now this incident happened sometime after 11pm yesterday,
06:49near the corner of Main and 160th Street here in Park Township.
06:53Technically this incident occurred in the late hours of July 3rd,
06:562023, but those involved were clearly getting into the 4th of July spirit.
07:00By midnight, the celebration had burst into a disaster.
07:04When authorities arrived at the Park Township neighborhood,
07:07houses and cars were damaged, with fireworks present.
07:10Nine people were injured, and a woman named Jana Daniels lost her life.
07:14Upon further inspection, the authorities realized that commercial fireworks weren't responsible.
07:19An inebriated Anthony John Meyer had lit a salute cannon full of gunpowder.
07:24The explosion damaged several nearby homes and cars.
07:28The cause is still under investigation.
07:30Although his homemade device was only supposed to make a loud boom,
07:33it ultimately exploded, sending metal pieces flying.
07:37While Daniels' death was deemed an accident,
07:39Meyer was sentenced to a year in jail with probation and community service.
07:44If I could go back and reverse it, I would.
07:50Unfortunately, we all have to live with this for the rest of our lives.
07:55A viral boom.
07:56This was not the firework show that anybody expected that night, and yeah,
08:01we talked to the family, and they said that they watched as 4th of July
08:06turned their driveway into a war zone.
08:08Many 4th of July incidents make headlines, but only a handful are captured on camera.
08:13This Nebraska family wasn't looking to go viral when they lit fireworks in their front yard.
08:18One firework didn't go up as planned, sending sparks flying in all directions.
08:22Just as the situation seemed to defuse, all hell broke loose.
08:27That one firework ignited the other fireworks in a box behind the minivan,
08:31sending the family running from the blast.
08:33Although the SimpliSafe home security system recorded the whole thing,
08:37the family had no intention of sharing the footage.
08:40Somehow, the video wound up on Reddit, spreading like wildfire.
08:44Remaining anonymous, the family informed the press that nobody was injured.
08:47Perhaps even more astonishing?
08:49The minivan is still fully functional.
08:52There was actually no injuries. Everyone is well. No property damage. So yeah, we're lucky.
09:00Shark attack
09:01A Long Island beach closed to swimmers after a shark sighting. It's coming right by here.
09:07We like to tell ourselves that Jaws was only a movie,
09:10but shark attacks on the 4th of July aren't unheard of.
09:13Visiting Fire Island with a couple of friends,
09:15Ludmilla Emog took a dip in the shallow waters, letting out a scream of pain.
09:20Emog felt as if she had been ensnared in a trap.
09:23I screamed to my friends, something is biting me. I felt like I was in a trap. It was holding
09:28onto me.
09:28It wasn't long until Emog realized this trap was the jaws of a shark.
09:33Thankfully, it wasn't a great white. According to Emog's friends,
09:36the beast was between four and five feet long.
09:38The circumstances were alarming nonetheless, but Emog kept her cool.
09:42She was super calm, right? Like, this is not what you expect from shark bites,
09:46or bites in general.
09:47Reaching into the shark's mouth, she freed herself and returned to shore with minor injuries.
09:52Emog considers herself lucky, especially considering what went down on Amity Island.
09:57The boat blowout
09:58I saw one of the boats caught on fire. Actually, I had a co-worker
10:02say that one of the boats was on fire, so I rushed and jumped on the forklift as quick as I could.
10:07Sharks might keep some people out of the water on the 4th of July,
10:10but there's another dangerous foe we constantly underestimate.
10:13Fireworks.
10:14In 2013, 18 boats were damaged by fire near the Skylaunch Marina on Lake Union,
10:20resulting in $1.5 million worth of damage.
10:23The Seattle Fire Department determined that the blaze stemmed from illegal fireworks,
10:28which were shot off from a hill not too far away from the marina.
10:31The annual fireworks display at Lake Union is typically a lovely sight,
10:35but spectators got more than they bargained for that year.
10:38The only upside is that nobody was killed or seriously injured,
10:41with just one firefighter suffering a minor knee injury.
10:45I gave it a shot, and then I just had to leave it up to the fire department at that point.
10:49No one got hurt, so that was great.
10:50When sparklers attack
10:51The 4th of July celebration takes a dangerous turn in Claremont County.
10:55Seven people were hurt, some of them seriously injured.
10:59Sometimes it just takes a tiny little spark to make a big boom.
11:02A group of people in Ohio learned this the hard way one fateful 4th of July.
11:07As roughly 20 individuals partied inside, several children played outside with sparklers.
11:12When a spark from one of the sparklers landed in a bag full of unused fireworks,
11:16a recipe for disaster was ignited.
11:19The fireworks went off, and a total of seven people were reportedly injured.
11:23One woman was left with serious burns covering half of her body,
11:26while the person hurt the worst was a little girl.
11:28While they recover, investigators are looking into the possibility of charges.
11:34An instant tragedy
11:35Now, a lot of people in the town of Calis say they're just speechless and in shock and disbelief.
11:40Whenever fireworks are set off in an unsafe manner,
11:43there's a huge risk for injury or an even worse occurrence.
11:47Tragically, a man named Devin Staples lost his life in a terrible pyrotechnic accident.
11:52He died while setting off fireworks with his friends on the 4th of July,
11:552015. The actor had decided to place a reloadable fireworks mortar tube on top of his head.
12:01Shortly after igniting the firework, Staples died instantly,
12:04in what his brother described as a freak accident.
12:07The terrible incident left his family and friends
12:09devastated on what was intended to be a joyful occasion.
12:14Definitely left the party, that's for sure.
12:17Explosives in Central Park
12:18Reporting the investigation into a bizarre explosion in Central Park
12:22that seriously injured a young man from Virginia.
12:24Over the 4th of July weekend in 2016,
12:27college student Connor Golden was climbing down a rock in Central Park.
12:31As misfortune would have it, the teenage tourist stepped on a handmade,
12:35shock-sensitive explosive that was inside a black plastic bag.
12:39The impact caused the explosive to detonate, blowing off Golden's foot.
12:43The blast was so loud that it interrupted the nearby funeral service for Elie Wiesel,
12:48a Nobel Prize winner and Holocaust survivor.
12:51Golden's left leg was subsequently amputated, although he would walk again with the use
12:55of a prosthetic leg paid for partially via Kickstarter.
12:59The moral of the story?
13:00Always watch your step and never leave explosives lying around.
13:04This was an explosive device that was placed
13:07or put in this area with a specific intent to harm any individual.
13:11Tragedy on the water.
13:12It's a tragedy for us to see something like this happen.
13:16This is probably the worst accident that I've seen in my 11 years.
13:20The fireworks fiasco in Seattle might have ruined boats,
13:23but property damage is inconsequential compared to the loss of a human life.
13:27After a Miami fireworks show wrapped up, tragedy struck the Dinner Key Marina,
13:32where three boats collided in a catastrophic crash.
13:35Twenty-two individuals were involved in the crash, which ultimately claimed the lives
13:40of Andy Garcia, Kelsey Karpiak, Victoria Dempsey, and Jason Soleimani.
13:45In addition to those four fatalities, seven were left injured.
13:48Given the scorching July weather, it's no wonder the sea calls out to many people on the 4th of
13:53July. Accidents like this will motivate anybody to stay on dry land, though.
13:58The families of everyone involved with this are still trying to piece together
14:01exactly what happened and what caused this to happen.
14:04Some of them are forced to plan funerals at this time.
14:08Simi Valley fireworks failed.
14:10In towns across America, an estimated 14,000 firework shows,
14:14with this one north of Los Angeles, suddenly turning terrifying.
14:18When people are messing around with fireworks at home,
14:20there's obviously going to be some risk involved.
14:22When people attend a professional fireworks display open to the public, though,
14:26they expect things to go off without a hitch.
14:29This wasn't the case in Simi Valley, California,
14:31where a 2013 fireworks show resulted in a major 4th of July fail.
14:36A pyrotechnic shell went off in its mortar tube,
14:39causing a chain reaction that sent fireworks blasting towards an audience of thousands.
14:44The area suddenly turned into a combat zone,
14:47leaving dozens injured, although fortunately, nobody was killed.
14:50Firefighters and medics immediately on the scene, 36 people injured.
14:55The perilous parade.
14:57Like fireworks shows, parades are an Independence Day tradition for numerous families.
15:02In 2013, however, the Liberty Fest 4th of July parade ended tragically for one family.
15:08On a busy street in Edmond, Oklahoma,
15:11Quentin Hooper drove afloat with several karate students on board.
15:15Among the students was Hooper's young son, Aiden,
15:18who fell off the flatbed trailer and was accidentally run over by the float.
15:22"...coach says between the injured player, his panicked teammates,
15:25and the people in the crowd, it was pandemonium as he waited for the ambulance."
15:30A nurse and a police officer performed CPR on Aiden,
15:33but he was unfortunately pronounced dead upon arriving at the hospital.
15:37Following the unspeakable nightmare, Quentin and his wife Susanna
15:41have strived to keep their son's memory alive through the Aiden Hooper Legacy Fund.
15:45The coach adds the boy's family wants people to know they don't blame anyone for what happened.
15:50Long Island car crash.
15:52"...tonight, as survivors of the crash recover,
15:54police are trying to figure out how this happened."
15:56While the water isn't always the safest place to be on the 4th of July, the roads aren't much better.
16:01Speeding down a slippery street in Long Island,
16:04Gustave Geyer swerved his 1990 Chevy pickup truck into another lane.
16:09The truck crashed into a 2014 Nissan Ultima with four adults and a baby boy inside.
16:14"...in a no-passing zone at what's described as a high rate of speed above the speed limit."
16:20Thus ensued a fatal collision that not only claimed Geyer's life,
16:24but also killed three of the Ultima's passengers.
16:26The baby, who had a few minor injuries, and his mother, who was left with life-threatening burns,
16:32were the only survivors.
16:34According to reports, Geyer had a blood alcohol level twice the legal limit.
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16:54Jesse William Burley
16:56Police identified the victim as Jesse William Burley.
16:59This accident is so brutal and bizarre that it sounds like something out of a Coen Brothers movie,
17:05especially seeing how it took place in Fargo, North Dakota.
17:08According to eyewitnesses, 41-year-old Jesse William Burley walked into the middle of the
17:13streets to set off a 4th of July firework. He lit it up, a puff of smoke appeared, and then boom.
17:20Resident Chris Hansen immediately rushed to his neighbor's aid,
17:22only to find that Burley had been beheaded.
17:25Hansen later stated that the fireworks came with a warning that read,
17:29if found, please report to the U.S. government.
17:32Authorities are not sure if the firework was bought in a store or homemade,
17:36but they think it was some type of mortar style of firework.
17:40If you have any 4th of July safety tips, please share them in the comments.
17:44This is where many spectators were sitting. Some suffered burns,
17:46others were hit by projectiles like this.
18:06Thanks for watching!