Explosion in crowd at Oak Grove fireworks show injures two; city looking for more victims

Yahoo

08-07-2025

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The City of Oak Grove is looking for people affected by an Independence Day fireworks display malfunction, according to the city's Parks and Recreation.
According to a Facebook post from Oak Grove Parks and Recreation, during the finale portion of the Sparks and Stripes fireworks display, there was a 'malfunction' that occurred.
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In a Facebook Live recording on the Parks and Rec Facebook page, you can see some type of firework explosion in the crowd. The explosion happened at the 17:35 minute mark.
The Director of Parks & Recreation, Scott Matson, said the city knows of two people who were treated for minor burns at the site of the fireworks.
Parks and Rec said it is communicating with the Premier, the pyrotechnic company that put on the fireworks show, and has started an investigation into the situation to determine what happened.
This year was the third year Oak Grove has used Premier for its Independence Day fireworks.
According to Matson, a water feature that was designed to travel no more than 150 feet went at least three times that distance beyond the water.
He said the pyrotechnics are investigating to find out with the manufacturer what could have caused this to happen.
Oak Grove has had water features in the previous two years, and they landed in the water and performed as designed.
View the latest headlines from Kansas City, Missouri, and Kansas at fox4kc.com
One family said they escaped with little to no injuries after a live effect landed at their feet.
Becki Tucker said a lit tube landed at her husband's feet and he quickly kicked it away.But it went off about five feet in front of them.
'I was just in shock, and then just grateful,' Tucker said, 'Because two of my daughters…almost sat there…had they been at our feet, the firework could've been in their lap.'
Tucker said her husband and sister-in-law left with light burns.
'They came floating in, but then you could tell it was going to go off,' Elli Hodges said.
Her family saw more sparks than expected.
'Little meteorites,' 11-year-old Easton Hodges said.
They sat behind the caution tape. Still, Hodges said a firework effect landed by her baby and wagon.
Her husband kicked it into the water. She's grateful it didn't go off — and the kids were safe.
'It was such a joyful, exciting thing, I didn't realize how bad it could've been until later that night,' Hodges said. 'Thankfully none of them landed on the kids. We were just so glad it was by the adults and the one that landed by our wagon, by her, it did not go off. My husband kicked it; it went back into the water. I don't know if it would have still, but it did not go off. None of my family or kids were burned or hurt.'
'It was the grand finale so there were a bunch of explosions, the wisps of fireworks went in the complete opposite direction,' 14-year-old Emma Tucker said. 'They were coming at us.'
'All of our hearts are with those who were affected by this and we'd like to offer our assistance if there's anything more we can do,' the city said in its Facebook post.
The Parks and Rec director told FOX4 first responders ran to the areas where the effect went into the crowd. He said two people were treated for minor burns.
'I think it was just an unfortunate event that took place and hopefully the company looks into it and doesn't overshoot or shoot towards people,' Hodges said.
If you were impacted by the malfunction, call the Parks and Recreation office at 816-690-4003 ext. 1.
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