AP/Lang
7/6/19
Three Muscatine men were treated at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics Officials after a fireworks accident. One man lost his hand, and another lost several fingers.
The city of Muscatine says in a news release that one of the three men lit a mortar in the East Hill area while holding it in his hand and attempted to throw it, but it exploded before he could release it. Firefighters say the man lost his hand in the explosion, while a second man suffered injuries to his face, eyes and ears. The third man lost several fingers.
One man was airlifted to the UIHC, while the other two were transported via ground ambulance. All three are expected to recover.
Assistant Fire Chief Michael Hartman says it’s the city’s most serious fireworks incident since the state legalized fireworks two years ago.
A structure fire in Muscatine County was also reported Thursday. The Muscatine Fire Department was not involved with that call, but Hartman said he understands that the cause was attributed to improper disposal of fireworks.