An explosion and ensuing fire at an event venue in Upshur County in East Texas left one dead and four injured on Tuesday.
Fireworks were being readied for a Fourth of July celebration scheduled for later that day at Firehouse 9 Farm in Gilmer when the explosion occurred. The Upshur County Sheriff’s Office (UCSO) confirmed that the fire involved fireworks and other volatile flammable materials.
The incident is being investigated by the Texas State Fire Marshal’s Office and agents from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
ATF agent Kevin Mack said that the explosion happened as event workers were setting up 300 3-inch fireworks shells. An electric match, a device that uses electric current to ignite a propellant or explosive, apparently set off the explosion, according to a statement from UCSO, as reported by Fox News.
The sheriff’s department identified the deceased victim as 58-year-old Jared Maddox, a resident of Gilmer and the owner of Firehouse 9 Farm.
Maddox was a retired firefighter, having served as a driver and engineer with the Longview Fire Department for 28 years, according to CBS 19. He had also served with the Gilmer Fire Department, according to Longview Fire Chief J.P. Steelman.
“I have known and served in the East Texas Fire Service with Jared at both the Gilmer and Longview Fire Departments for just shy of 40 years,” Steelman said, CBS 19 reported. “He was most certainly a good man who loved his family and served the public well throughout his life and career.
“His loss will be felt by many across the Northeast Texas community. I’m grateful for the time I had to work alongside him, and I am a better man for having known him.”
The UCSO released a statement expressing condolences to the Maddox family and asking the public to keep the injured workers and their families in their thoughts and prayers.
In addition, the statement said that Maddox “provided assistance to the Sheriff’s Office and other emergency services for many years. He will be missed.”
Maddox’s body was taken for an autopsy, though no foul play is suspected as the explosion and fire are believed to have been accidental. However, the investigation is ongoing.
The names of the four injured workers have not been publicly released, and officials have not commented on the extent of their injuries.
Nationwide, emergency rooms receive an average of 10,000 visits per year related to fireworks injuries over the Fourth of July, Fox News reported.
