Calais, MAINE — State Police say 22-year-old Devon Staples died after setting off a firework on top of his head on The Fourth of July.
The incident occurred around 10 p.m. Saturday on South Street where Staples and his friends were drinking to celebrate the holiday.
The man died instantly when an artillery-style mortar detonated inside a tube he placed on his head, investigators said.
The man’s death is the first fireworks-related death since fireworks became legal two years ago, according to state police.
From NBC: “State fire marshals were also investigating several other Fourth of July fireworks accidents involving injuries in Friendship, Jefferson, Lebanon and Woodstock. They said most of the accidents involved burns and eye injuries. McCausland said further details were expected to be released later Sunday.”
In 2013, U.S. hospital emergency rooms treated an estimated 11,400 people for fireworks related injuries; 55% of those injuries were to the extremities and 38% were to the head.
The risk of fireworks injury is highest for young people ages 0-4, followed by children 10-14.
On July 4th in a typical year, far more U.S. fires are reported than on any other day, and fireworks account for two out of five of those fires, more than any other cause of fires.
Calais is a city in Washington County, Maine, United States. The city has three United States border crossings over the St. Croix River bordering St. Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada.
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