Fireworks-related injuries for Fourth of July period in Ohio surpass numbers for all of 2024

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A busy and explosive Fourth of July period in Ohio this year has resulted in more fireworks-related injuries than the state had for all 12 months in 2024.

From July 3-5 and for the weekends immediately before and after the Fourth of July, the Ohio Department of Commerce said the state fire marshal’s fire and explosion investigations bureau looked into 15 fireworks-related incidents that left 31 people injured. Other local reports indicate another 24 people were hurt during this year’s holiday period.

For the entirety of 2024, the FEIB investigated 14 fireworks-related incidents that left 28 people hurt. The sharp uptick has caused Governor Mike DeWine to release a statement urging caution for Ohio residents.

“Although fireworks are an exciting part of Fourth of July celebrations, they can be extremely dangerous,” DeWine said. “It’s critical that anyone setting off or handling fireworks use extreme caution in order to keep themselves and others safe.”

The Ohio Department of Commerce noted an incident during the holiday period and said three juveniles set off errant fireworks that hit the roof of a soybean farm in Pickaway County, causing “significant damage.” While this incident did not result in any injuries, two people were critically injured when preparing fireworks for the Darke County fireworks show at the fairgrounds.

The Bureau has also investigated incidents connected to homemade fireworks, including one in June in Trumbull County where one person died and two others, including a four-year-old, were critically injured in a home explosion.

A search was also conducted recently in Pickaway County to seize a large amount of unlicensed fireworks, including a 16-inch shell that counts as the largest the Ohio division has ever seized.

In Ohio, you are legally allowed to fire off 1.4 grams of consumer fireworks between July 3 and 5, per the state fire marshal’s office. You may also do this for the weekends before and after the Fourth of July.