MUSCATINE, Iowa (AP) — Officials in eastern Iowa say a man has lost his hand in a fireworks mishap that also seriously injured two others.
The city of Muscatine says in a news release that one of the three men lit a mortar while holding it in his hand and attempted to throw it, but it exploded before he could. Firefighters say the man lost his hand in the explosion, while a second man suffered injuries to his face, eyes and ears. The third man lost several fingers.
Two of the men were taken by ambulance to a hospital. The other drove himself to the hospital. All three were later taken to an Iowa City hospital and are expected to survive their injuries.
Assistant Fire Chief Michael Hartman says it’s the city’s most serious fireworks incident since the state legalized fireworks two years ago.
