MaterDei
Member
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/printstory.mpl/metropolitan/2663979
July 6, 2004, 6:56AM
Two teenage boys, 7-year-old girl hurt in Fourth accidents
Gunpowder mix, fireworks to blame
By PEGGY O'HARE
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle
Two separate July Fourth accidents left a 7-year-old girl blind in one eye and two teens with serious burns, according to the Harris County Fire Marshal's Office.
The child was struck by a bottle rocket during a fireworks show Sunday night at the First Baptist Church North Channel in the 13800 block of Force, said investigator Nathan Green.
The church's congregation had gathered for a carnival after evening services, and an impromptu fireworks display was held in a nearby parking lot, set back 100 feet from the crowd, Green said. Five minutes into the show, a container holding a bottle rocket tipped over, and the device shot into the crowd.
The girl was taken by ambulance to Memorial Hermann Hospital and is not expected to regain sight in her right eye, Green said.
The fireworks were being set off by adults and church officials, including the girl's father, who is a deacon at the church, he said.
Earlier on Sunday, two teens were burned by exploding gunpowder at a north Harris County home. The accident happened after a group of youths took apart hundreds of shotgun shells and concocted a dangerous homemade cocktail, Green said.
The 16-year-old boys were burned when a flash fire ignited around 7 p.m. at a home in the 20700 block of Greymoss Lane near Harvest Hill, officials said. Six other teens, ages 16 and 17, were present when emergency crews arrived.
Green said there was no adult supervision at the time of the accident.
The youths had taken apart 400 .22-caliber rounds and at least one box of 20-gauge shotgun shells, pouring the gunpowder into a bowl, Green said. They then added Crystal Drano to the gunpowder and poured the mixture into a rubber glove, he said.
The youths then used a sledgehammer to grind the substance into a fine powder, apparently generating enough heat to set off the gunpowder.
One boy suffered first-, second- and third-degree burns to his left leg, right arm and face and first-degree burns to nearly all the exposed portions of his body. The other teen suffered first- and second-degree burns to his face, right arm and right leg.
Earlier in the day, the teens had thrown homemade dry-ice bombs into the street and used a videocamera to film some of their antics, Green said.
Investigators seized the empty bullet boxes, shotgun shells, bullet casings, the sledgehammer, various fireworks, dry ice coolers and the video camera. All of the youths will be brought to the fire marshal's office to give written statements and interviews.
The condition of the injured teens was not known Monday evening.
**sigh**
July 6, 2004, 6:56AM
Two teenage boys, 7-year-old girl hurt in Fourth accidents
Gunpowder mix, fireworks to blame
By PEGGY O'HARE
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle
Two separate July Fourth accidents left a 7-year-old girl blind in one eye and two teens with serious burns, according to the Harris County Fire Marshal's Office.
The child was struck by a bottle rocket during a fireworks show Sunday night at the First Baptist Church North Channel in the 13800 block of Force, said investigator Nathan Green.
The church's congregation had gathered for a carnival after evening services, and an impromptu fireworks display was held in a nearby parking lot, set back 100 feet from the crowd, Green said. Five minutes into the show, a container holding a bottle rocket tipped over, and the device shot into the crowd.
The girl was taken by ambulance to Memorial Hermann Hospital and is not expected to regain sight in her right eye, Green said.
The fireworks were being set off by adults and church officials, including the girl's father, who is a deacon at the church, he said.
Earlier on Sunday, two teens were burned by exploding gunpowder at a north Harris County home. The accident happened after a group of youths took apart hundreds of shotgun shells and concocted a dangerous homemade cocktail, Green said.
The 16-year-old boys were burned when a flash fire ignited around 7 p.m. at a home in the 20700 block of Greymoss Lane near Harvest Hill, officials said. Six other teens, ages 16 and 17, were present when emergency crews arrived.
Green said there was no adult supervision at the time of the accident.
The youths had taken apart 400 .22-caliber rounds and at least one box of 20-gauge shotgun shells, pouring the gunpowder into a bowl, Green said. They then added Crystal Drano to the gunpowder and poured the mixture into a rubber glove, he said.
The youths then used a sledgehammer to grind the substance into a fine powder, apparently generating enough heat to set off the gunpowder.
One boy suffered first-, second- and third-degree burns to his left leg, right arm and face and first-degree burns to nearly all the exposed portions of his body. The other teen suffered first- and second-degree burns to his face, right arm and right leg.
Earlier in the day, the teens had thrown homemade dry-ice bombs into the street and used a videocamera to film some of their antics, Green said.
Investigators seized the empty bullet boxes, shotgun shells, bullet casings, the sledgehammer, various fireworks, dry ice coolers and the video camera. All of the youths will be brought to the fire marshal's office to give written statements and interviews.
The condition of the injured teens was not known Monday evening.
**sigh**
