At a Fourth of July celebration last week, a South Carolina father named Allen Ray McGrew died after he placed a lit firework on his hat. The device exploded, killing him instantly.
Mark McCormack, a resident of Wichita, suffered his own serious injury from using fireworks. While shooting off mortar shells one Independence Day, he failed to realize the cannon had bent. It went off in his hand, and McCormack was rushed to the hospital where he fought for his life. After a blood transfusion and surgery, McCormack woke up and realized doctors had amputated his hand and fourteen inches of his arm.
Fireworks can create beautiful displays, but they are also extremely dangerous. Because they can cause severe injuries, many states have at least some restrictions on their use and possession. Illinois is one of three states that bans most consumer fireworks.