A man and a woman were transported to Sutter Coast Hospital with major injuries after a firework exploded in the woman’s hand at about 11:54 p.m. Monday, according to Del Norte County Sheriff Garrett Scott.

The Smith River Volunteer Fire Department and the Del Norte County Sheriff’s Office were called the 100 block of Salmon Harbor Road. According to Scott, when the firework went off bone fragments from the woman’s hand struck the man in his stomach.

“There was no foul play as far as a crime. They were just lighting off a pretty good-size explosive firework and it went off in her hand,” Scott told the Wild Rivers Outpost. “There was very extensive damage to the hand. It’s just a case of how dangerous these fireworks are and how quickly they can go off once they’re lit.”

According to Scott, the firework in this incident was not legal to California. He called it a learning experience, stating that people have to realize how much force even safe and sane fireworks have once lit.

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