NEED TO KNOW
- Robert Spagnuolo, a 70-year-old Massachusetts resident, died during a Fourth of July celebration in Wareham
- The Plymouth County District Attorney’s office said Spagnuolo “was setting off fireworks at the beach when one exploded in his face, causing traumatic injuries”
A 70-year-old man in Massachusetts has died after a firework accident on a beach during a Fourth of July celebration.
Officials from the states fire marshal’s office are investigating the death of Robert Spagnuolo, who was “apparently killed by a firework” in Wareham, a coastal town located just west of Cape Cod, according to a July 5 statement from the Plymouth County District Attorney’s office.
Wareham Police received a 911 call at around 9:19 p.m. local time on July 4, stating that a person had been struck by a firework.
Police officers, firefighters and emergency medical personnel responded to the scene, where Spagnuolo was pronounced dead.
“After interviewing several witnesses on scene, investigators determined that Spagnuolo was setting off fireworks at the beach when one exploded in his face, causing traumatic injuries,” the DA’s Office wrote.
Wareham Police, state police, the State Police Bomb Squad and the Massachusetts Fire Marshal’s Office are all investigating, the DA’s Office added. The state’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will share the official cause and manner of death at a later time.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
A number of deaths and injuries have been reported relating to fireworks amid the Fourth of July holiday weekend this year. In Iowa, the Kossuth County Sheriff’s Office said that a 33-year-old man was killed on July 1 after he sustained injuries while shooting off fireworks. He was taken to a local hospital and pronounced dead, deputies said.
Additionally, a fireworks explosion in Alabama has resulted in the hospitalization of six people.
The incident involved “unpermitted fireworks” on a part of Lake Martin in Tallapoosa County, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said.
Authorities stated that the incident involved the malfunction of a pontoon boat “that had been modified into a fireworks platform” for a planned fireworks celebration.
Read the full article here
