List of fireworks accidents and incidents explained

This is a list of fireworks accidents and incidents, including pyrotechnics fire and explosion. The list is sortable by casualties and date.

Date Event Location Country Casualties Structure
1869-04-05 C. N. Romaine & Brothers fireworks factory explosion Petersburg, Virginia United States 12 deaths factory
1903-06-21 Fireworks explosion in downtown shop Paterson, New Jersey United States 17 deaths warehouse
1904-11-04 United States 15 deaths
1908-07-03 S. S. Kresge Fireworks Explosion Cleveland, Ohio United States 7 deaths[1] five-and-dime store
1909-07-03 United States 4–5 deaths, unconfirmed Cigar Store
1928-03-06 Fireworks factory explosion 20+ deaths factory
1930-04-03 Pennsylvania Fireworks Display Company factory explosion Devon, PennsylvaniaUnited States 9 deaths factory
1937-07-01 Drake Drug Company fireworks explosion Nampa, IdahoUnited States 6 deaths Drug Store
1942-11-06 Rochester Fireworks Company explosion Perinton, New YorkUnited States 11 deaths factory
1947-04-01 Fireworks factory explosion Clinton, MissouriUnited States 10 deaths factory
1958-06-23 Fireworks stand explosion Salvador, BahiaBrazil 100+ deaths
1964-08-24 Fireworks ignite storage tanks Atlatlahuaca45 deaths
1970-05-27 Carpentersville Fireworks Company explosion Huntley, IllinoisUnited States 3 injuries[2] factory
1971-05-17 Continental Fireworks Company explosion Pisgah, IllinoisUnited States 3 deaths, 5 injuries factory
1971-06-13 Fireworks explosion destroys school Mexico 13 deaths
1972-03-06 Melrose Display Fireworks Company explosion Orland Park, IllinoisUnited States 3 deaths, 16 injuries factory
1972-07-04 Bangs Lake Park explosion Wauconda, IllinoisUnited States 1 death, 8 injuries park
1973-05-30 Children injured by discarded shell Huntley, IllinoisUnited States 2 injuries factory
1973-06-09 Worldwide Fireworks Company explosion McHenry, IllinoisUnited States 7 injuries factory
1977-02-18 Xinjiang 61st Regiment China 694 deaths, 161 disabled[3] public hall
1983-05-27 Benton, TennesseeUnited States 11 deaths, 1 injury factory
1984-09-07 7 deaths, 1 injury navy
1985-05-20 Illegal fireworks factory explosion Beaver Township, Mahoning County, OhioUnited States 9 deaths factory
1985-06-25 Hallett, OklahomaUnited States 21 deaths, 5 injuries factory
1986-04-05 San Francisco, CaliforniaUnited States 8–9 deaths, 20 injuries factory
1987-07-04National Mall Fireworks DisplayWashington DCUnited States4+ injuries[4] park
1987-09-25 Celebrity Fireworks plant explosion Rialto, CaliforniaUnited States 1 death[5] factory
1988-12-12 62+ deaths, up to 83 injuries market
1989-03-22 Fengate fireworks factory explosion 1 firefighter death, over 100 injuries factory[6]
1991-02-14 Culemborg and Vianen2 deaths, dozens of injuries[7] factory
1991-05-07 Sungai BulohMalaysia 26 deaths, 83 injuries factory
1991-06-21 Fireworks store explosion Rio de JaneiroBrazil 22 deaths warehouse
1996-01-31 1996 Shaoyang explosionRFX factory in Shaoyang, Hunan China 134 death, 405 injuries[8] RDX factory
1996-07-03 Fireworks stand explosion Lawrence County, OhioUnited States 9 deaths, 11 injuries[9] shop
1996-11-00 accidents in a number of fireworks factories ? China 51 deaths factory
1997-06-05 Pyro Shows fireworks warehouse explosion LaFollette, TennesseeUnited States 4 deaths warehouse[10]
1998-12-11 Independence Professional Fireworks factory explosion Osseo, MichiganUnited States 7 deaths factory
1999-09-26 Mexico 63 deaths, 348 injuries warehouse
1999-12-00 explosion in a fireworks factory ? Brazil 39 deaths factory
2000-05-13 Netherlands 23 deaths, c. 950 injuries factory
2001-01-01 Netherlands 14 deaths, 241 injuries nightclub
2001-11-24 Brazil 7 deaths, 197 injuries nightclub
2001-12-29 Peru291 deaths, 134 injuries shopping center
2003-02-20 West Warwick, Rhode IslandUnited States 100 deaths, 230 injuries nightclub
2004-11-03 Denmark1 death, 24 injuries factory
2004-12-30 Argentina 194 deaths, 1,492+ injuries nightclub
2007-12-31 Philippines7 injuries factory
2006-12-04Festival Fireworks FactoryEast SussexUnited Kingdom2 deaths, 12 injuriesfactory
2007-31-12 Fireworks explosion at BulacanPhilippines 4 missing (later found back), 7 injuries Shops
2008-02-01 Turkey22+ deaths, 100+ injuries factory
2008-04-19 Factory nightclub fire Ecuador 15 deaths, 35 injuries[11] nightclub
2008-09-21 China 43 deaths, 88 injuries nightclub
2009-01-01 66 deaths, 222 injuries nightclub
2009-01-29 Starmaker Fireworks Factory explosion Philippines 8+ deaths, 70+ injuries[12] factory
2009-02-09 China 1 death, 7 injuries open air fireworks show
2009-12-05 156 deaths, 78 injuries nightclub
2012-07-04 San Diego, California United States 0 casualties[13] open air fireworks show from four barges and a pier
2012-09-05 40 deaths, 70+ injuries factory
2013-01-27 Brazil 242 deaths, 630 injuries nightclub
2013-06-20 B.E.M. Fireworks explosion Coteau-du-Lac, QuebecCanada 2 deaths[14] warehouse
2014-04-20 The Netherlands ? football stadium
2015-10-30 64 deaths, 146 injuries nightclub
2015-12-31 Manila New Year's fireworks Philippines 1 death, 380 injuries, thousands displaced[15] open air fireworks show
2016-04-10 India 111 deaths, 350+ injuries place of worship
2016-12-20 Mexico 42 deaths, 84 injuries[16] market
2017-10-26 49 deaths, 46 injuries factory
2018-06-06 Fireworks explosion Tultepec Mexico 7 deaths, 7 injuries warehouse
2018-07-05 Fireworks disaster Tultepec Mexico 24 deaths, 49+ injuries warehouse
2021-03-16 Ontario fireworks explosion United States 2 deaths, 1 injured[17] residential area
2021-07-04LAPD firework disposal accidentLos Angeles, CaliforniaUnited States17 injuries[18] residential area
2022-07-14 France 2 deaths, 7 injuries Open air show
2022-08-142022 Yerevan explosionArmenia16 deaths, 61 injurieswarehouse
2022-12-1"Magic in the Sky" warehouse blastUnited States4 deaths, 1 injury[19] warehouse
2023-02-19Blitar fireworks explosionBlitarIndonesia4 deaths, 13 injuries[20] house
2023-07-29Sungai Kolok fireworks disasterSu-ngai KolokThailand10+ deaths, at least 118 injured[21] warehouse
2023-09-26Qaraqosh wedding fireQaraqoshIraq107 deaths, 82 injuries[22] wedding hall
2024-01-17Suphanburi fireworks disasterSuphan BuriThailand23 deaths, 7 injuries[23] factory
2024-04-07Death of Allen Ray McGrewSouth CarolinaUnited States1 deathhouse

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Cleveland's Saddest Fourth: The 1908 S. S. Kresge Fireworks Explosion=. 24 February 2019. 25 February 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190225131618/https://www.grayco.com/clevelands-saddest-fourth-excerpt-from-they-died-crawling/. live.
  2. Web site: Serious Firework Accidents in Illinois. 4 August 2020. 1 February 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170201075613/https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/Digitization/15128NCJRS.pdf. live.
  3. 694条生命化为灰烬——一场没有公开报道的特大火灾. 新世纪. 1995. 4. 西夫. 2023-01-04. 2023-01-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20230104195119/https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/ozEZgbB4HAVet3z7pfvRlw.
  4. News: Lancaster . John . July 5, 1987 . Holiday Makes Mall the Village Green . 1 . Washington Post . March 4, 2023.
  5. Web site: Archived copy . . 28 October 2021 . 12 May 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210512235538/https://apnews.com/article/1130e43648c736ee4c6a5ef42484f20c . live .
  6. Web site: Poignant memorial service to Peterborough firefighter killed in Fengate explosion 30 years ago.
  7. News: 'Uit Culemborgs ongeval viel geen les te trekken' . . 15 May 2000 . 16 January 2019 . nl . 16 January 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190116100354/https://www.volkskrant.nl/nieuws-achtergrond/-uit-culemborgs-ongeval-viel-geen-les-te-trekken-~bca4f16b/ . live .
  8. News: 新疆女子与男友同居10年家产被变卖才知对方是通缉犯. 亚心网. 2011-12-15.
  9. Web site: 25 years later, memories of Scottown fireworks explosion are still fresh. 3 July 2021 . The Herald-Dispatch. 4 July 2021. 3 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210703105022/https://www.herald-dispatch.com/news/25-years-later-memories-of-scottown-fireworks-explosion-are-still-fresh/article_6516ff66-e332-5af7-8b31-2195ad4cc004.html. live.
  10. https://www.wate.com/news/local-news/deadly-fireworks-explosion-in-la-follette-20-years-later/ Retrieved 4 July 2023
  11. Web site: Brazil, Mexico And Other Deadly Nightclub Fires In Latin America. 2013-01-28. The Huffington Post. 21 January 2019. 28 October 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211028210702/https://securepubads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ppub_config?ippd=www.huffpost.com. live.
  12. News: Philippine fireworks factory explosion kills at least 8, injures 70 more . Wikinews . 29 January 2009 . 21 January 2019 . 21 January 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190121175133/https://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Philippine_fireworks_factory_explosion_kills_at_least_8,_injures_70_more . live .
  13. News: July 4 fireworks fiasco solved - technically. Horn. Jonathan. 2012-07-12. San Diego Union Tribune. 2012-07-23. dmy-all.
  14. Web site: 2 die in fireworks factory blast near Montreal. 21 January 2019. 27 August 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130827095025/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/story/2013/06/20/quebec-fireworks-factory-explosion-coteau-du-lac.html. live.
  15. News: One dead and 380 injured after Philippines firework displays . The Guardian . 1 January 2016 . 21 January 2019 . 21 January 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190121121827/https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/jan/01/one-dead-and-380-injured-after-philippines-firework-displays . live .
  16. News: 24 doden, tientallen gewonden bij vuurwerkexplosies Mexico . NOS . 5 July 2018 . 16 January 2019 . nl . 16 January 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190116100351/https://nos.nl/artikel/2240055-24-doden-tientallen-gewonden-bij-vuurwerkexplosies-mexico.html . live .
  17. Web site: 2 Dead, 1 Injured in Southern California Fireworks Explosion That Caused Massive Fire . people.com . Naledi Ushe . 8 May 2021 . 10 May 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210510142913/https://people.com/human-interest/2-dead-1-injured-fireworks-explosion-california/ . live .
  18. Web site: Jones. Kay. Yan. Holly. 2021-07-04. Man accused of storing 16 tons of fireworks at home, including devices that later blew up and injured 17. live. 2021-07-08. CNN. 21 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210721145620/https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/04/us/los-angeles-fireworks-explosion/index.html.
  19. News: Mayorquin . Orlando . Fatal Blast at Fireworks Warehouse Was Preventable, OSHA Says . 17 April 2024 . New York Times . 12 June 2023.
  20. Web site: 2023-02-20 . House Exploded in Blitar, 4 Killed, 13 Injured, Including Babies - advertise.biz.id . 2023-02-21 . en-US.
  21. Web site: At least 10 killed after devastating fireworks warehouse explosion in Thailand. Metro News. Ashton. Ben. July 29, 2023. July 30, 2023.
  22. Web site: September 27, 2023. September 27, 2023. David. Gritten. BBC News. Iraq fire: Around 100 killed in blaze at wedding party in Qaraqosh.
  23. Web site: ระทึก! "โรงงานพลุระเบิด" สุพรรณบุรี ตาย 23 คน สาหัส 7 คน . 2024-01-17 . Thai PBS . th.