A fireworks explosion badly injured a man and a woman in a Darnestown, Maryland, home on Tuesday, making the house uninhabitable and forcing neighbors to evacuate, Montgomery County officials said.
The explosion was caused by the manufacturing or modification of fireworks, Montgomery County Fire Chief Scott Goldstein said. It blew off the door to an attached garage and damaged cars in the driveway of the large home, video from the scene shows.
Firefighters were called to the 14200 block of Cervantes Avenue about 5:15 p.m., Montgomery County fire officials said.
Three people were inside the home at the time of the explosion. When firefighters arrived, they found two people outside badly injured: a man in extreme, critical condition and a woman with injuries that aren't considered life-threatening, officials said. The third person was not hurt.
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Bomb squad members dressed in advanced bomb suits were seen heading toward the home. Investigators looked at the garage and said there’s no risk of a further explosion, but the home isn’t safe to live in anymore.
Neighbors were allowed back into their homes and roads reopened later in the evening.
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By Wednesday morning, windows were boarded up and ash could be seen near a chimney.
The fire chief says the explosion serves as a reminder that fireworks are not allowed in Montgomery County.
“All fireworks are illegal,” Goldstein said. “These are items that ignite, fly, detonate, pop or crack. That includes the possession, the manufacturing or the discharge and transportation of fireworks.”
The chief urged people to view professional fireworks displays for a safe Independence Day celebration.
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