District Heights, MD – Prince George’s County Fire Officials are investigating a backyard fireworks incident where a teen sustained “severe hand injuries.” Just after 10:30 pm, July 4, firefighter/medics responded to the 1800 block of Addison Road South in District Heights for a 911 report of an injured teenaged male. It appears that the youth sustained hand injuries while handling fireworks when the product exploded. He was treated and transported to an appropriate Trauma Center for his injuries.
Officials from the Office of the Fire Marshal are investigating the incident. Fire Investigations Commander, Assistant Fire Chief Christopher H. Hunt, stated, “There are no charges at this time. The incident is still under investigation.”
“Our primary concern is for the health of this young man and his hand injuries,” said Fire Chief Benjamin Barksdale. “However, we cannot look the other way when a law designed to prevent this type of life-changing injury is violated.”
All consumer-purchased/backyard style fireworks are illegal in Prince George’s County. Despite many surrounding jurisdictions selling legal fireworks for their respective areas, Prince George’s County has outlawed these products for this exact reason. Penalties for violations of the fireworks law include up to $1,000 fine and/or 6 months in jail.
This injury is the third injury over the past nine years in Prince George’s County. An adult Capitol Heights female sustained traumatic injuries to her hand while handling consumer purchased fireworks in 2015.