MONROE COUNTY — A person was airlifted to an Indianapolis hospital on Friday after suffering severe upper-body injuries from a commercial-grade mortar shell.
According to the Monroe Fire Protection District, emergency crews responded to a medical dispatch on Friday, July 3, at 1503 West That Road for a firework-related trauma. Upon arrival, first responders located a patient with significant injuries to their upper body caused by the detonation of a mortar shell.
The address of the emergency dispatch is the location of Emmanuel Church. The church hosted an “Independence Day Community Celebration” on Friday evening, which featured food trucks, yard games, live music, and a scheduled fireworks display.
Monroe Fire Protection District Battalion Chief Jason Allen, serving as the department’s public information officer, confirmed that the victim required immediate emergency air transport. A medical helicopter was called directly to the scene, and the patient was flown to IU Health Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis for specialized care.
As of Saturday, fire officials had not clarified whether the individual injured was a bystander or a worker, nor whether the accident occurred during the public celebration, during the event’s cleanup, or under separate circumstances involving fireworks on the property.
The identity, age, and current medical condition of the patient have not yet been released.
The serious accident coincides with heightened seasonal safety warnings from the Indiana State Fire Marshal. According to data from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, roughly 13,000 people are treated in U.S. emergency rooms annually for firework-related injuries, with an additional 1,300 injuries linked specifically to sparklers.
State safety officials strongly urge consumers to:
- Maintain a safe, designated physical distance from all active fireworks.
- Never lean directly over a firework device or attempt to relight a “dud.”
- Keep a pressurized water hose or a bucket of water nearby to fully douse spent or malfunctioning items.
