Trending Topics

S.C. man dies after firework explodes on head during Fourth of July party, deputies say

The man was attending a block party when he “ignited a large firework device” and put the lit firework on his head, possibly to show off, Dorchester County deputies said

By Simone Jasper
The Charlotte Observer

CHARLESTON, S.C. — A man died after a firework exploded on his head during a Fourth of July block party, South Carolina officials said.

Charleston-area deputies were called to a neighborhood at about 10:30 p.m. and found a man lying in a road. He died at the scene, the Dorchester County sheriff’s and coroner’s offices wrote in news releases.

The coroner’s office identified the man as 41-year-old Allen Ray McGrew. He is from Summerville, a roughly 25-mile drive northwest from Charleston.

McGrew was attending a block party on his street when he “ignited a large firework device” and put the lit firework on his head, possibly to show off, according to the coroner and details the man’s wife shared with deputies.

“She was trying to tell Allen not to do that when the firework went off and she observed Allen collapse,” deputies wrote in an incident report.

The explosion left McGrew with “massive head injuries,” according to the coroner’s office.

The man’s death, which the sheriff’s office called “accidental,” remained under investigation as of July 5.

©2024 The Charlotte Observer.
Visit charlotteobserver.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Trending
Caffeine, supplements, cravings – our nutritionists break down their top tips
The Chippewa Falls Fire & EMS Department is back to full strength, thanks to strategic hiring efforts, a voter-approved referendum and new incentives aimed at attracting firefighter/EMTs
The Aims Fire and EMS Xplore Academy introduces student to fire and EMS careers in several skill stations
Two firefighters were injured and two structures damaged during the latest of several fires on Long Island