Charges Filed After Piedmont Boy Is Badly Injured in Fireworks Accident
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Teen Loses Hand In Fireworks Accident
A 15-year old boy lost his hand while playing with fireworks Thursday and will likely lose both legs.Published: July 8, 2009
Updated: July 8, 2009
Charges have been filed against 22 year old Robert Stephen Spicer of Easley after a 15 year old is badly injured in a fireworks accident.
Spicer is charged is accused of assembling a number of fireworks known as sparklers together in an explosive package. Officials say the victim was attempting to extinguish the device when it exploded.
Fifteen year old Ryan Stancell has lost his hand and most likely have to have both legs amputated after a fireworks accident July 2.
He is currently at Greenville Memorial with sever burns on his chest and will need skin graphs according to his mother. She said they do think he will survive.
Neighbor Perry Oakley said he felt the shock inside his house when the explosive went off, and ran to help.
“I was completely shocked out,“ said Oakley. “There was a nurse at the end of the road and if it wasn’t for her, I don’t know what the kid would have done. She got us to take our belts off and create tourniquets for him.“
Oakley said even more shocking, the explosion was caused by sparklers.
“It was a sparkler. Those are $.25 a box and most people would never think that would cause the damage that it was capable of,“ said Oakley.
The Anderson County Sheriff’s Office said there were possibly more than 100 sparklers gathered together, creating what’s called a sparkler bomb. It creates tremendous explosive power, according to the Anderson County Fire Chief.
“Anytime you alter a firework and use it for anything it’s not supposed to be used for, it’s a recipe for disaster.“
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to even make a sparkler bomb they would have to research it on the internet, therefore they would know the severety of the blast it makes. To be the adult who makes it and lets a CHILD near it is ignorant. The said 21 year old “adult” should be charged for altering an explosive device, especially since he was recently released from jail and is on probation for other ignorant crimes!!
Sky1386, you only demonstrate that you aren’t qualified to work at a fireworks store if you don’t understand basic safety practices.
My heart goes out to the kid and the family.
Let’s be very clear. He wasn’t injured by a sparkler. He was injured by the intentional misuse of many of them.
It is tragic that this happened, but it is an example of what can happen when any device is misused or abused. Consumer fireworks are very safe when used according to directions, and cause fewer injuries than most other childhood activities. Adult supervision is imperative for any energetic material, including propane or gasoline.
Hunter safety classes are required in some states before young people are allowed to use firearms. I believe education regarding the proper use of fireworks is appropriate, and can minimize the risk of incidents such as this.
As a kid who grew up in this area, we did alot of crazy things with fireworks. But after reading this story my husband and I decided, not to let our children HANDLE them anymore, not even with an adult present. We discussed the fact, all we have ever seen are made in china. After the lead posion scare, we just do not trust their safety standards. Tonight we had a roman candle to malfunction, as well as a rocket that exploded in half on the ground. Prayers are with this family & for anyone with kids, you may want to discuss & rethink who handles your family’s fireworks. One bad firework could change your childs life forever,it doesn’t have to be just a “homemade” one that does it.
This is from the father of Ryan Stancell, Just to set the story straight the 21yr old is STEVEN SPICER he is the one responible for making the bomb out of sparklers and causing Ryan to get hurt, how would anyone in there right mind let a child go near a bomb of that? He has to be a moron.
This story just breaks my heart! God (and my folks) knows I did more than my fair share of foolish acts when I was 15. I hate the thought of this boy losing a hand and possibly legs because of this. My thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.
My comment is—its skin GRAFTS, not skin graphs. If you’re a professional organization, try proofreading before publishing.
Us guys can do some pretty interesting things. When I was young, I put bottle rockets upside down in both glass and plastic bottles and ran like crazy to get behind a fence. I never thought about taping sparklers in a wad and lighting them. What I don’t get is this: July 4th is this Saturday. Any and all fireworks should be done then…why do people shoot them days before the actual event? It’s like goin’ to where a concert is to be held, taking pictures of the band, and the band isn’t even on stage yet. Makes no sense to me. My opinion, those sparklers should have been in their packaging and locked up until the parents were around to supervise him. If they were supervising him…oh my gosh!
The Anderson Independent Mail is reporting he was trying to put out a fuse or something. A neighbor said he had wrapped 144 sparklers in electrical tape and was handling them when they exploded.
So was this a homemade firework or what??? b/c it says created…. I used to work at a firework store and none of the ones that we sold were powerful enough to feel in your chest in a house next door. Poor kid, I really hope he does not lose his legs…..
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