Knott County, Kentucky firefighter injured in fireworks accident

A Kentucky firefighter and a bystander were injured in a Fourth of July fireworks accident in Knott County on Thursday evening, Knott County Judge-Executive Jeff Dobson said.

The accident happened during a fireworks show in Knott County at the Knott County Sportsplex. Dobson said a firefighter and a bystander were struck by shrapnel from an artillery shell that exploded on the ground.

The firefighter was taken to Lexington Hospital for treatment and monitoring. Dobson did not provide details on the firefighter’s injuries but said he hopes the firefighter will be released soon.

Click to resize

The bystander was taken to Hazard ARH Regional Medical Center with minor injuries. Dobson said the bystander has since been released.

“We think everything is going to be OK,” Dobson said in a Facebook post. “We’re praying for both families. We think everything is going to be OK and we hope he comes home soon.”

According to Dobson, the program had to be discontinued after the accident.

“Safety is our primary concern,” Dobson said in a Facebook post. “We know people were shaken up by the accident and we didn’t want to risk any future accidents.”