INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis firefighters responded to dozens of calls Saturday night attributed to irresponsible use of fireworks by residents marking the July 4 holiday.
One man lost a hand and a woman lost several fingers in separate incidents.
Two families were displaced from a duplex at 7762 Knue Road when an errant firework shot into the garage, igniting gasoline and causing a large fire that spread to the house.
Firefighters arrived just before 10:30 p.m. and had the fire under control in less than 20 minutes, but not before the fire heavily damaged one side of the double residence. A family of three renting one side of double had no insurance, according to a news release from IFD.
The family of five living on the other side had to leave because their utilities had to be shut off. Nobody was hurt, but two cats are missing
Fireworks injuries
Overall, IFD responded to approximately 20 trash fires, five vehicle fires, two tree fires and dozens of calls for investigations, all believed to be fireworks related.
Just after 9:15 p.m. firefighters on the southeast side of Indianapolis heard mortar shell-type firework detonate nearby. Minutes later they were flagged down and told a man had a severe injury in the 5800 Block of Southeastern Ave. The crew responded and found a 34-year-old male with a missing right hand from the mortar shell he'd been holding just minutes before.
A 20-year-old woman lost several fingers after holding and lighting what she thought was a smoke bomb that turned out to be a firework. She was taken by ambulance from the 3100 Block of Brandenburg Drive to Eskenazi Hospital in serious but stable condition.
Firefighters who were called to help the woman found a large group of teens on the street around 10:15 p.m. Neighbors said the unsupervised teens were throwing bottle rockets directly at homes in the area and firefighters called police to deal with the crowd estimated at 100 people.
Other injuries treated by Indianapolis firefighters/medics Saturday night:
- 11:14 PM - Face injury 6000 Block of Meadow Drive
- 10:57 PM - Face injury 2800 Block of Draper Street
- 10:06 PM - Eye injury 10700 Block of Lost Pine Lane
- 10:05 PM - Burns to leg 10000 Block of Southport Road
- 8:58 PM - Head injury 400 Block of Oakland Avenue
- 8:26 PM - Hand injury 300 Block of Hancock Avenue
- 7:19 PM - Hand injury 5400 Block of Sleet Drive