Trending Topics

S.C. man dies after firework explodes on head during Fourth of July party, deputies say

The man was attending a block party when he “ignited a large firework device” and put the lit firework on his head, possibly to show off, Dorchester County deputies said

By Simone Jasper
The Charlotte Observer

CHARLESTON, S.C. — A man died after a firework exploded on his head during a Fourth of July block party, South Carolina officials said.

Charleston-area deputies were called to a neighborhood at about 10:30 p.m. and found a man lying in a road. He died at the scene, the Dorchester County sheriff’s and coroner’s offices wrote in news releases.

The coroner’s office identified the man as 41-year-old Allen Ray McGrew. He is from Summerville, a roughly 25-mile drive northwest from Charleston.

McGrew was attending a block party on his street when he “ignited a large firework device” and put the lit firework on his head, possibly to show off, according to the coroner and details the man’s wife shared with deputies.

“She was trying to tell Allen not to do that when the firework went off and she observed Allen collapse,” deputies wrote in an incident report.

The explosion left McGrew with “massive head injuries,” according to the coroner’s office.

The man’s death, which the sheriff’s office called “accidental,” remained under investigation as of July 5.

©2024 The Charlotte Observer.
Visit charlotteobserver.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Trending
Just 25 to 30 seconds after arriving, Walton County Deputy Will May was shot multiple times during a call to escort a man out of a store
Often called the “Sherlock Holmes of France,” Dr. Edmond Locard was one of the first to demonstrate that no crime scene is ever truly “clean”
“Body-worn cameras have become an essential tool in law enforcement, and I’m pleased that we can help more local agencies equip their officers with them,” Gov. Mike DeWine stated
“In my professional opinion, the gentleman should never have been out of jail,” Marysville Police Chief Christian Sachs said. “And yet here we are”