Ocraboom

Tragic July 4th deaths on Ocracoke Island. The truck that was used to transport the July 4th fireworks exploded in a parking lot near the launch site. According to Robb’s Facebook Post, 40 minutes worth of fireworks went up in 4 seconds. Four workers died in the blast or shortly afterwards at the hospital from their wounds.

Smoke is seen across Ocracoke Island, N.C. Saturday, July 4, 2009, after a truckload of fireworks exploded on a remote island dock, killing one worker and injuring others preparing for an Independence Day celebration, authorities said. The explosion shook homes and businesses and was heard across a village on the southern end of Ocracoke Island, which is the only inhabited part of the 15-mile spit of land.

From the NewsObserver here:

A fourth victim has died from injuries suffered in Saturday’s fireworks explosion on Ocracoke Island.

Three of the victims were members of The Lord’s Table church in Goldsboro, and another had visited there a few times, said Mitch Ham, the worship pastor and music director there.

Ham identified the four as Terry Holland, Lisa Simmons, Charles Kirkland Jr. and Mark Hill, who was not a regular church member. Holland was a building and maintenance worker at The Lord’s Table, Ham said.

The explosion Saturday morning killed one employee of Melrose South Pyrotechnics, a South Carolina fireworks display company instantly while three others died after the blast. A fifth employee is in fair condition with minor burns.

As someone pointed out in the comments on the story, this truck reached the island via a ferry.  Thankfully this tragedy wasn’t compounded by having the accident during transport and contributing to more deaths.  The islanders had a memorial parade for those workers killed.

You know who else went out in a blaze of glory on Ocracoke?  Blackbeard.