SEDGWICK COUNTY — Two men suffered serious injuries Friday after an undetonated firework was handled and an unknown object exploded when handled and lit.
Wichita police are urging the public to leave any unexploded fireworks or suspicious objects in place and call 911.
Just before 1 p.m. Friday, police responded to a shooting call in the 1100 block of S. Emporia in Wichita after multiple 911 callers reported a 39-year-old man may have been shot. Officers arrived and found the man with major injuries to his stomach and left hand.
Officers immediately applied a tourniquet to the man’s hand. Sedgwick County EMS transported him to a local hospital for treatment.
Preliminary investigation indicates the man picked up a suspicious object. Through further investigation it was learned that the object was a celebratory firework that failed to detonate and exploded.
Just after 2:14 p.m., officers responded to the 2400 Block of George Washington Boulevard in Wichita for a second reported explosion. A 37-year-old man suffered severe injuries after an unknown object believed to be an older firework exploded in his hand.
Investigators learned the man found the item near the 1700 block of S. Hillside, lit it and intended to throw it into the water. Sedgwick County EMS transported him to a local hospital. He remains in critical but stable condition.
In both incidents, the Wichita Police Department Ordnance Disposal Unit responded. Investigators also deployed an explosive detection canine to conduct safety sweeps in the areas where the items were found.
Unexploded fireworks and suspicious items can detonate with little warning. Some devices look damaged, old, or harmless and still explode when picked up, shaken, or lit. Others have unstable fuses or damaged casings that can ignite unexpectedly.
If you find something that looks like a firework, a fuse, a homemade device, or any unknown object that does not belong:
Leave it where it is.
Keep others away. Clear the area if you can do so safely.
Call 911 right away.
If you can describe it without getting closer, tell the dispatcher what it looks like and where it is located.
Ask yourself this: Is it worth losing a hand over a “curious object” on the ground?
Wichita police can respond, secure the area and investigate. Your call can prevent another severe injury.