Lawsuit alleges defective firework caused catastrophic hand injury in Missouri

FOX23 News at 9 p.m.

DEXTER, Mo., (KBSI) – Morgan & Morgan has filed a lawsuit in Missouri on behalf of a 25-year-old man who was severely injured when a firework allegedly exploded as he tried to light it, according to the petition.

The plaintiff purchased a “Master Ballistic Rocket” on July 1 from Xtreme Fireworks in Dexter. The device exploded immediately upon ignition, the filing states, leading to injuries that required a partial hand amputation and extensive reconstructive surgery.

The suit alleges the retailer knowingly sold a dangerously defective firework in violation of state and federal law. It further claims the product’s design or manufacturing allowed highly volatile flash powder to leak from inside the device or remain on the exterior wrapper, creating a foreseeable risk of premature explosion.

“This catastrophic injury was not a tragic accident, but the foreseeable result of a company putting profit over public safety by selling a dangerous product,” Morgan & Morgan founder John Morgan and attorney Emery Reusch said in a joint statement.

“These fireworks are allegedly dangerously overloaded with pyrotechnic material, which contributed to our client’s permanent physical and emotional consequences. We are committed to holding all responsible parties accountable for their alleged reckless disregard for consumer safety.”