A tragic sequence of events unfolded on Monday afternoon in Florida City, leading to a man being airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital following a firework accident. According to WSVN, a fireworks explosion happened at an M&M store located on the 500 block of West Lucy Street. The victim, who incurred serious injuries to his hand, managed to drive to a friend’s home in Homestead, where he sought help.
The scene captured on surveillance video showed the victim's hand, which appeared injured, hanging from the vehicle’s window and blood visible on the driver’s side door. A woman was seen running out to assist the man as they waited for emergency services. Homestead Police officers responded, investigating the incident and discovering a variety of illegal and commercial-grade fireworks inside the U-Haul vehicle. It is believed by authorities that the man was selling illegal fireworks out of the vehicle when one exploded in his hand.
Following his initial treatment at Homestead Hospital, the man was subsequently airlifted to Miami's Jackson Memorial Hospital in stable condition. He is expected to need multiple surgeries on his hand as a result of the incident. In a separate operation, the Miami-Dade Police Bomb Squad intervened to safely dispose of the remaining stash of fireworks found in the U-Haul. Meanwhile, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue has reinforced the public safety message about the dangers of handling fireworks. "The best way to celebrate New Year’s is by leaving the fireworks to the experts," Erika Benitez, a spokesperson for the department, as noted by WSVN.
CBS News Miami provided additional details, noting how police are still investigating the circumstances of the incident. Florida City Police Sergeant David Hunsberger said, "The injured person was in a U-Haul that had fireworks inside. It is not confirmed that he was selling them, but investigators are on scene gathering more information." As of now, the man's identity and the specifics of his condition remain undisclosed, with authorities mentioning that the victim has been uncooperative in their inquiries.
