List of fireworks accidents and incidents

This is a list of fireworks accidents and incidents, including pyrotechnics fire and explosion. The list is sortable by casualties and date.

Date | Event | Location | Country | Casualties | Structure

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1869-04-05 | C. N. Romaine & Brothers fireworks factory explosion | Petersburg, Virginia | United States | 12 deaths | factory
1903-06-21 | Fireworks explosion in downtown shop | Paterson, New Jersey | United States | 17 deaths | warehouse
1904-11-04 | Fireworks explosion at Madison Square | New York City | United States | 15 deaths |
1908-07-03 | S. S. Kresge Fireworks Explosion | Cleveland, Ohio | United States | 7 deaths[1] | five-and-dime store
1909-07-03 | Great Nampa Fire | Arnold Cigar Store, Nampa, Idaho | United States | 4–5 deaths, unconfirmed | Cigar Store
1928-03-06 | Fireworks factory explosion | Samarang, Java | Indonesia | 20+ deaths | factory
1930-04-03 | Pennsylvania Fireworks Display Company factory explosion | Devon, Pennsylvania | United States | 9 deaths | factory
1937-07-01 | Drake Drug Company fireworks explosion | Nampa, Idaho | United States | 6 deaths | Drug Store
1942-11-06 | Rochester Fireworks Company explosion | Perinton, New York | United States | 11 deaths | factory
1947-04-01 | Fireworks factory explosion | Clinton, Missouri | United States | 10 deaths | factory
1958-06-23 | Fireworks stand explosion | Salvador, Bahia | Brazil | 100+ deaths |
1964-08-24 | Fireworks ignite storage tanks | Atlatlahuaca | Mexico | 45 deaths |
1970-05-27 | Carpentersville Fireworks Company explosion | Huntley, Illinois | United States | 3 injuries[2] | factory
1971-05-17 | Continental Fireworks Company explosion | Pisgah, Illinois | United States | 3 deaths, 5 injuries[2] | factory
1971-06-13 | Fireworks explosion destroys school | Puebla | Mexico | 13 deaths |
1972-03-06 | Melrose Display Fireworks Company explosion | Orland Park, Illinois | United States | 3 deaths, 16 injuries[2] | factory
1972-07-04 | Bangs Lake Park explosion | Wauconda, Illinois | United States | 1 death, 8 injuries[2] | park
1973-05-30 | Children injured by discarded shell | Huntley, Illinois | United States | 2 injuries[2] | factory
1973-06-09 | Worldwide Fireworks Company explosion | McHenry, Illinois | United States | 7 injuries[2] | factory
1977-02-18 | Xinjiang 61st Regiment Farm fire | Xinjiang 61st Regiment | China | 694 deaths, 161 disabled[3] | public hall
1983-05-27 | Benton fireworks disaster | Benton, Tennessee | United States | 11 deaths, 1 injury | factory
1984-09-07 | C23 tragedy | Qala, Gozo | Malta | 7 deaths, 1 injury | navy
1985-05-20 | Illegal fireworks factory explosion | Beaver Township, Mahoning County, Ohio | United States | 9 deaths | factory
1985-06-25 | Aerlex Fireworks plant explosion | Hallett, Oklahoma | United States | 21 deaths, 5 injuries | factory
1986-04-05 | 1986 San Francisco fireworks disaster | San Francisco, California | United States | 8–9 deaths, 20 injuries | factory
1987-07-04  | National Mall Fireworks Display  | Washington DC | United States  | 4+ injuries[4] | park
1987-09-25 | Celebrity Fireworks plant explosion | Rialto, California | United States | 1 death[5] | factory
1988-12-12 | Mexico City fireworks disaster | Mexico City | Mexico | 62+ deaths, up to 83 injuries | market
1989-03-22 | Fengate fireworks factory explosion | Peterborough | United Kingdom | 1 firefighter death, over 100 injuries | factory[6]
1991-02-14 | Culemborg fireworks disaster | Culemborg and Vianen | Netherlands | 2 deaths, dozens of injuries[7] | factory
1991-05-07 | Bright Sparklers Fireworks disaster | Sungai Buloh | Malaysia | 26 deaths, 83 injuries | factory
1991-06-21 | Fireworks store explosion | Rio de Janeiro | Brazil | 22 deaths | warehouse
1996-01-31 | 1996 Shaoyang explosion | RFX factory in Shaoyang, Hunan | China | 134 death, 405 injuries[8] | RDX factory
1996-07-03 | Fireworks stand explosion | Lawrence County, Ohio | United States | 9 deaths, 11 injuries[9] | shop
1996-11-00 | accidents in a number of fireworks factories | ? | China | 51 deaths[7] | factory
1997-06-05 | Pyro Shows fireworks warehouse explosion |  LaFollette , Tennessee | United States | 4 deaths | warehouse[10]
1998-12-11 | Independence Professional Fireworks factory explosion | Osseo, Michigan | United States | 7 deaths | factory
1999-09-26 | Celaya fireworks disaster | Celaya | Mexico | 63 deaths,[7] 348 injuries | warehouse
1999-12-00 | explosion in a fireworks factory | ? | Brazil | 39 deaths[7] | factory
2000-05-13 | Enschede fireworks disaster | Enschede | Netherlands[7] | 23 deaths, c. 950 injuries | factory
2001-01-01 | Volendam New Year's fire | Volendam | Netherlands | 14 deaths, 241 injuries | nightclub
2001-11-24 | Canecão Mineiro nightclub fire | Belo Horizonte | Brazil | 7 deaths, 197 injuries | nightclub
2001-12-29 | Mesa Redonda fire | Lima | Peru | 291 deaths, 134 injuries | shopping center
2003-02-20 | The Station nightclub fire | West Warwick, Rhode Island | United States | 100 deaths, 230 injuries | nightclub
2004-11-03 | Seest fireworks disaster | Seest | Denmark | 1 death, 24 injuries | factory
2004-12-30 | República Cromañón nightclub fire | Buenos Aires | Argentina | 194 deaths, 1,492+ injuries | nightclub
2007-12-31 | December 2007 Bocaue fire | Bocaue, Bulacan | Philippines | 7 injuries | factory
2006-12-04  | Festival Fireworks Factory  | East Sussex  | United Kingdom  | 2 deaths, 12 injuries  | factory
2007-31-12 | Fireworks explosion at Bulacan | Bocaue | Philippines | 4 missing (later found back), 7 injuries | Shops
2008-02-01 | Istanbul fireworks explosion | Istanbul | Turkey | 22+ deaths, 100+ injuries | factory
2008-04-19 | Factory nightclub fire | Quito | Ecuador | 15 deaths, 35 injuries[11] | nightclub
2008-09-21 | Wuwang Club fire | Shenzhen | China | 43 deaths, 88 injuries | nightclub
2009-01-01 | Santika Club fire | Bangkok | Thailand | 66 deaths, 222 injuries | nightclub
2009-01-29 | Starmaker Fireworks Factory explosion | Trece Martires | Philippines | 8+ deaths, 70+ injuries[12] | factory
2009-02-09 | Beijing Television Cultural Center fire | Beijing | China | 1 death, 7 injuries | open air fireworks show
2009-12-05 | Lame Horse fire | Perm | Russia | 156 deaths, 78 injuries | nightclub
2012-07-04 | Big Bay Boom premature mass discharge | San Diego, California | United States | 0 casualties[13] | open air fireworks show from four barges and a pier
2012-09-05 | Sivakasi factory explosion | Sivakasi | India | 40 deaths, 70+ injuries | factory
2013-01-27 | Kiss nightclub fire | Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul | Brazil | 242 deaths, 630 injuries | nightclub
2013-06-20 | B.E.M. Fireworks explosion | Coteau-du-Lac, Quebec | Canada | 2 deaths[14] | warehouse
2014-04-20 | Fireworks incident | De Kuip, Rotterdam | The Netherlands | ? | football stadium
2015-10-30 | Colectiv nightclub fire | Bucharest | Romania | 64 deaths, 146 injuries | nightclub
2015-12-31 | Manila New Year's fireworks | Manila | Philippines | 1 death, 380 injuries, thousands displaced[15] | open air fireworks show
2016-04-10 | Puttingal temple fire | Kollam, Kerala | India | 111 deaths, 350+ injuries | place of worship
2016-12-20 | 2016 San Pablito Market fireworks explosion | Tultepec | Mexico | 42 deaths, 84 injuries[16] | market
2017-10-26 | Tangerang fireworks disaster | Tangerang | Indonesia | 49 deaths, 46 injuries | factory
2018-06-06 | Fireworks explosion | Tultepec | Mexico | 7 deaths, 7 injuries[16] | warehouse
2018-07-05 | Fireworks disaster | Tultepec | Mexico | 24 deaths, 49+ injuries[16] | warehouse
2021-03-16 | Ontario fireworks explosion | Ontario, California | United States | 2 deaths, 1 injured[17] | residential area
2021-07-04  | LAPD firework disposal accident  | Los Angeles, California  | United States  | 17 injuries[18] | residential area
2022-07-14 | Bastille Day | Cholet | France | 2 deaths, 7 injuries | Open air show
2022-08-14  | 2022 Yerevan explosion | Yerevan | Armenia  | 16 deaths, 61 injuries  | warehouse
2022-12-1  | "Magic in the Sky" warehouse blast  | Orlando, Florida | United States  | 4 deaths, 1 injury[19] | warehouse
2023-02-19  | Blitar fireworks explosion  | Blitar | Indonesia  | 4 deaths, 13 injuries[20] | house
2023-07-29  | Sungai Kolok fireworks disaster | Su-ngai Kolok | Thailand  | 10+ deaths, at least 118 injured[21] | warehouse
2023-09-26  | Qaraqosh wedding fire | Qaraqosh | Iraq  | 107 deaths, 82 injuries[22] | wedding hall
2024-01-17  | Suphanburi fireworks disaster  | Suphan Buri | Thailand  | 23 deaths, 7 injuries[23] | factory
2024-04-07  | Death of Allen Ray McGrew  | South Carolina | United States  | 1 death  | house

## See also

[edit]

* List of accidents and disasters by death toll
* List of industrial disasters
* List of nightclub fires (several result from pyrotechnic failures)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Cleveland's Saddest Fourth: The 1908 S. S. Kresge Fireworks Explosion=". Archived from the original on 25 February 2019. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
2. ^ a b c d e f "Serious Firework Accidents in Illinois" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 February 2017. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
3. ^ 西夫 (1995). "694条生命化为灰烬——一场没有公开报道的特大火灾". 新世纪 (4). Archived from the original on 4 January 2023. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
4. ^ Lancaster, John (5 July 1987). "Holiday Makes Mall the Village Green". Washington Post. p. 1. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
5. ^ "Archived copy". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 12 May 2021. Retrieved 28 October 2021.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
6. ^ "Poignant memorial service to Peterborough firefighter killed in Fengate explosion 30 years ago".
7. ^ a b c d e "'Uit Culemborgs ongeval viel geen les te trekken'". de Volkskrant (in Dutch). 15 May 2000. Archived from the original on 16 January 2019. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
8. ^ "新疆女子与男友同居10年家产被变卖才知对方是通缉犯". 亚心网. 15 December 2011.
9. ^ "25 years later, memories of Scottown fireworks explosion are still fresh". The Herald-Dispatch. 3 July 2021. Archived from the original on 3 July 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
10. ^ https://www.wate.com/news/local-news/deadly-fireworks-explosion-in-la-follette-20-years-later/ Retrieved 4 July 2023
11. ^ "Brazil, Mexico And Other Deadly Nightclub Fires In Latin America". The Huffington Post. 28 January 2013. Archived from the original on 28 October 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
12. ^ "Philippine fireworks factory explosion kills at least 8, injures 70 more". Wikinews. 29 January 2009. Archived from the original on 21 January 2019. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
13. ^ Horn, Jonathan (12 July 2012). "July 4 fireworks fiasco solved - technically". San Diego Union Tribune. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
14. ^ "2 die in fireworks factory blast near Montreal". Archived from the original on 27 August 2013. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
15. ^ "One dead and 380 injured after Philippines firework displays". The Guardian. 1 January 2016. Archived from the original on 21 January 2019. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
16. ^ a b c "24 doden, tientallen gewonden bij vuurwerkexplosies Mexico". NOS (in Dutch). 5 July 2018. Archived from the original on 16 January 2019. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
17. ^ "2 Dead, 1 Injured in Southern California Fireworks Explosion That Caused Massive Fire". people.com. Naledi Ushe. Archived from the original on 10 May 2021. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
18. ^ Jones, Kay; Yan, Holly (4 July 2021). "Man accused of storing 16 tons of fireworks at home, including devices that later blew up and injured 17". CNN. Archived from the original on 21 July 2021. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
19. ^ Mayorquin, Orlando (12 June 2023). "Fatal Blast at Fireworks Warehouse Was Preventable, OSHA Says". New York Times. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
20. ^ "House Exploded in Blitar, 4 Killed, 13 Injured, Including Babies - advertise.biz.id". 20 February 2023. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
21. ^ Ashton, Ben (29 July 2023). "At least 10 killed after devastating fireworks warehouse explosion in Thailand". Metro News. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
22. ^ Gritten, David (27 September 2023). "Iraq fire: Around 100 killed in blaze at wedding party in Qaraqosh". BBC News. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
23. ^ "ระทึก! "โรงงานพลุระเบิด" สุพรรณบุรี ตาย 23 คน สาหัส 7 คน". Thai PBS (in Thai). Retrieved 17 January 2024.

* v
* t
* e

Fireworks accidents and incidents

>100 deaths|

* Xinjiang 61st Regiment Farm, China (1977)
* Cromañón nightclub, Argentina (1994)
* Shaoyang, China (1996)
* Mesa Redonda shopping center, Peru (2001)
* Station nightclub, Rhode Island (2003)
* Lame Horse nightclub, Russia (2009)
* Kiss nightclub, Brazil (2013)
* Puttingal temple fire, India (2016)
* Qaraqosh, Iraq (2023)

≤100 deaths|

* Benton, Tennessee (1983)
* C23 boat, Malta (1984)
* Hallett, Oklahoma (1985)
* San Francisco (1986)
* Mexico City (1988)
* Culemborg, Netherlands] (1991)
* Sungai Buloh, Malaysia (1991)
* Celaya, Mexico (1999)
* Enschede, Netherlands (2000)
* Seest, Denmark (2004)
* Istanbul, Turkey (2008)
* Sivakasi, India (2012)
* Tultepec, Mexico (2016)
* Tangerang, Indonesia (2017)
* Duttapukur, India (2023)

All structures were factory warehouse if unspecified above. See also: List of industrial disasters.
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