Four hurt after teens toss lit incendiaries at truck full of fireworks

A U-Haul truck carrying fireworks exploded in Ohio on Sunday — setting off a dramatic chain-reaction that injured four people, according to reports.

The blast went off around 10:30 p.m. in East Toledo after a group of teens were seen tossing multiple “homemade” incendiaries into the truck, the Blade reported.

The U-Haul truck full of fireworks exploding in Toledo, Ohio on July 4, 2021.
The U-Haul truck full of fireworks exploding in Toledo, Ohio on July 4, 2021.
WTOL11

Flames quickly spread to other fireworks, which were stacked up on a nearby curb, igniting the explosives, according to witnesses and video.

Live video shared on Facebook shows Fourth of July revelers enjoying the light show when the truck suddenly erupts in flames.

Barely a second passes before the fireworks strewn nearby begin firing off in all directions, rendering the street a bright-lit danger zone.

Two people standing near the fireworks as they start to go off from the truck.
Two people standing near the fireworks as they start to go off from the truck.
WTOL11
A person running from the fireworks explosion.
A person running from the fireworks explosion.
WTOL11

“It blew the U-Haul up, and from there it caught all of our fireworks that we had stacked up on the curb,” said witness Tevin Jones, who jumped the gate to a house behind the truck to escape the explosion.

No charges have been filed in the incident, which injured four — Steven Thomas Dukeman, 22; David Zuniga, 19; Dave Galdieux, 55; and one other person.

Investigators have yet to determine the cause of the initial explosion.

A person hiding as the fireworks go off from the truck.
A person hiding as the fireworks go off from the truck.
WTOL11
Firefighters responding to the scene after the truck firework explosion in Toledo.
Firefighters responding to the scene after the truck firework explosion in Toledo.
WTOL11

“What we do know is there was a storage area outside the truck and inside the truck that had fireworks that ignited, causing a very large explosion on the ground that continued shooting for five to 10 minutes,” Toledo Fire Department rep Pvt. Sterling Rahe told WTVG.

“This is something that we talked about before the holiday the dangers of using fireworks, because when they go bad they can go bad quickly.”

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