An 8-year-old girl has tragically died following a fireworks mishap in Buena Park on the Fourth of July. The incident occurred around 9:45 p.m. in the 8000 block of Cornflower Circle, as reported by CBS News Los Angeles. Responding to the explosion, officers from the Buena Park Police Department arrived on the scene to find family members carrying the severely injured young girl into a house.
Despite immediate life-saving efforts by the officers and first responders, the child was later pronounced deceased at the University of California, Irvine hospital. The Buena Park Police Department stated that the injuries were "consistent with a fireworks-related explosion." An investigation revealed that the homeowner had been using illegal fireworks that misfired, igniting other fireworks in proximity, as per information given in a press release from the police department and obtained by FOX LA. This caused a chain reaction which led to the child's fatal injuries.
The homeowner was arrested following the incident, but their charges are pending, awaiting review from the Orange County District Attorney's office. Officials have yet to release the identity of the homeowner or the young victim out of respect for her family. The incident has heightened ongoing concerns about the dangers of illegal fireworks, as this tragedy is reportedly at least the second fatal incident involving fireworks over the holiday weekend, according to information from KTLA.
The NBC Los Angeles report notes that the Buena Park Police Department, in collaboration with the Orange County Fire Authority and the Sheriff’s Bomb Squad, are continuing their investigation into this unfortunate event. The police have also encouraged anyone with information regarding the incident to contact the Buena Park Police Department. As families and communities were meant to celebrate the nation's independence, this unforeseen catastrophe has instead left a family mourning the loss of their child.
