A holiday weekend fireworks mishap in Kent sent three people to the hospital Sunday afternoon, according to officials. Crews from Puget Sound Fire and King County Medic One responded just after 1 p.m., and the injured were transported to a Seattle-area hospital. Authorities have not released the victims’ ages or their current conditions.
Puget Sound Fire said on X that the accident remains under investigation by its own investigators along with the Kent Police Department, FOX 13 Seattle reported. Both Puget Sound Fire and King County Medic One assisted in getting all three patients to medical care, according to the outlet.
Investigators On Scene
Kent banned personal fireworks following a 2015 advisory vote, and the city has repeatedly reminded residents that only professional displays are allowed within city limits. The city’s fireworks information page also details enforcement and public education efforts around the July 4 period, which local officials say are intended to cut down on injuries and fires; the full guidance is available from the City of Kent.
Regional Trauma Center Sees Surge
Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, the region’s designated trauma and burn center, has been dealing with a rush of fireworks-related injuries over the holiday week. KIRO 7 News reported the hospital had seen at least 68 such cases as of Sunday.
UW Medicine has long warned that fireworks can cause catastrophic hand and eye trauma and typically prepares for dozens of cases every year around July 4. Its safety briefing is available from UW Medicine. In its public guidance, the health system notes that “fireworks are powerful explosives that can cause devastating damage to hands and other parts of the body in a split second,” and urges people to skip consumer pyrotechnics in favor of professional shows.
Local fire and police agencies say they will release additional details as the Kent investigation moves forward. Seattle police planned to process and release more information on Monday, July 6, the FOX 13 Seattle report noted. Anyone with information about the Kent incident is asked to contact Kent Police or Puget Sound Fire through their nonemergency phone lines.
