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Firework Explodes into Crowd at PA Fireworks Display, Company has History of Mishaps and Injuries

By Paul Napoli

July 6, 2010

A fireworks display accident on Sunday has left eleven people, some of them children, injured and this is not the first time the company has had such a problem.

The fireworks, meant to celebrate Independence Day and the 250^th Anniversary of the borough of Palmyra, PA ended in tragedy when one firework charge misfired and exploded inside the discharge tube, causing surrounding tubes to ignite and send fireworks into the crowd of spectators. The victims suffered injuries such as abrasions, contusions and burns. The most serious of injuries were to a 17-year-old boy who had to undergo surgery for the application of skin grafts to burns on his legs.

Schaefer Pyrotechnics, Inc., of Lancaster County, PA, has a history of safety violations and injuries, says ABC27 News.

A misfire with a 2004 fireworks display by the company in Pittson, PA injured about fifty people when debris showered down on the crowd. An investigation of the incident by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) found serious safety violations and the agency fined Schaefer Pyrotechnics $8,100.

In 2007, at a show in Vienna, VA, fireworks malfunctioned and shot into the crowd, injuring ten people. A lawsuit is currently pending in the incident.

Palmyra officials were unaware of Schaefer Pyrotechnics' accident history.

The Lebanon Daily News reports that an OSHA representative confirmed the agency will investigate Schaefer Pyrotechnics, Inc. and Sunday's incident.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Paul Napoli

Full post as published by New York City Personal Injury Lawyer on July 06, 2010 (boomark / email).