Missouri Fireworks Explosion Destroyed Factory, Injured One Worker in Pleasant Hope

A Missouri fireworks explosion destroyed a factory and seriously injured a female employee on Tuesday evening, July third, 2018.

The worker was apparently trapped inside the building. Firefighters pulled her from the wreckage. She was airlifted to a hospital, with burns over 90% of her body. 

Several other employees had left the facility just five minutes before the tragedy occurred. “It could have been worse, but thankfully they were gone,” Strafford Fire Protection District Chief Jake Agee told Bolivar MoNews.com.

Neighbors reported hearing an enormous explosion that broke windows in local houses. The initial explosion was followed by four or five more explosions over the course of a half hour. Firefighters were only able to engage the fire from a distance until the explosions stopped.

Fire departments from Pleasant Hope, Southern Dallas County, Strafford, Ebenezer, Morrisville, Prairie Grove, Fair Grove, Bolivar, and Central Polk County were called in, resulting in a total of around 90 firefighters responding.

Two fire marshals are investigating the Missouri fireworks explosion with the help of agents from several law enforcement agencies.

The company, AM Pyrotechnics LLC, 2429 E. 535th Road in southeastern Polk County north of Tin Town, is a fireworks wholesale retail and manufacturing facility. Officials agreed that the building is completely destroyed.

The injured employee has not been identified, and there is no new information on her condition.

Missouri Fireworks Explosion Shows That Life Can Change in an Instant

Tragedies like this remind us that a person’s life can change radically in just an instant. Having burns over more than 20% of a person’s body can cause burn shock, a dangerous condition that includes loss of fluid, low blood pressure, and very low body temperature.

Extensive burns also bring the danger of infection. Burns, by definition, damage the skin, and the skin is a person’s front-line defense against bacterial infection. Treating burns can be a very painful process, and depending on the severity of the burns, can result in a lot of scarring. And recovering from burns can take a long time, with complications lasting for years.

What’s Next?

Any serious burns will require a lot of medical care, and the expenses will add up quickly. It’s not unusual for the total to run into the millions of dollars, with treatments required for many years. 

Our attorneys are experienced in protecting the legal rights of people who have been injured in fires and explosions. We travel to visit survivors, or next of kin, in their own homes, or even in their hospital beds. We protect your rights. We make sure you get the best medical care possible. We have won settlements for people that run in the millions of dollars, so whatever their level of injury, at least they don’t have to worry about being ruined financially from all of the bills.

Do you need help? Do you wonder if you have a case for compensation? Call us at 1-888-377-8900 and talk to us for free and with no obligation. Or fill out our on-line form.

Sources

“Employee hurt in explosion at Missouri fireworks company.” Associated Press, July 4, 2018.

Way, Jill, “Explosion, fire at Polk County fireworks wholesaler injures one.” Bolivar MoNews.com, July 4, 2018.