Man Dies In Fireworks Incident In Illinois: Police

BOONE COUNTY, IL —An Illinois man died July 4 after suffering fatal injuries while lighting fireworks, police in Boone County said. Sheriff's officials said deputies responded to a home in Garden Prairie around 9:15 p.m. and discovered that a man in his mid-30s had sustained fatal injuries.

The Boone County Fire Protection District and OSF Lifeline Ambulance also responded, but the man was pronounced dead at the scene, the sheriff's office said.

The man's name has not yet been released.

Police said the incident remains under investigation by the sheriff's and coroner's offices.

The incident wasn't the only serious fireworks-related injury over the 4th of July weekend in Illinois. In Lake County, a man in his 20s lost an eye and suffered "severe traumatic injuries to his face" while shooting off fireworks Saturday. His grandmother told reporters he was lighting fireworks and, when they didn't go off, he bent to check on them, and they exploded in his face.

In Michigan, Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks died after a fireworks incident at a July 4 gathering. Initial reports indicated that Kivlenieks died after falling while trying to avoid being hit by fireworks, but an autopsy revealed he had died of chest trauma from being struck by a mortar, according to the Associated Press.

In 2020, Illinois hospitals reported treating 163 patients with fireworks-related injuries.