Fowler Associates Labs

Two men killed in fireworks explosion, four others injured!

August 26, 2005

CRESTLINE, Kan. - A fireworks explosion killed two men and injured four others while they were loading a mobile trailer that was bound for a public fireworks display in St. Louis, Missouri.

Faron Trey Robinson, 27, along with Daniel Lee Groves, 28, both of Scammon, were killed in the explosion that occurred about 10:11 a.m. Thursday morning at the Fireworks Spectacular storage site on Wyandotte Road.

Six workers were moving fireworks from a fireworks magazine in a trailer onto a mobile trailer to be transported, said Paul Marquardt, public information officer with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Kansas City, Mo.

Injured in the explosion were Cody Soper, 21, of Columbus, who was still listed in critical condition, and Craig Banke, 32, of Cherokee, whose condition was upgraded to good. Both are at St. John's Regional Health Center in Springfield.

Ryan Holding, 24, Columbus, who had second-degree burns, was released Thursday from the hospital, while Michael Lee Dalton Jr., 34, who sustained minor injuries in the explosion, did not seek immediate medical attention, authorities said.

Michael Marietta, one of the owners of the family-owned Fireworks Spectacular, based in Pittsburg, Kan., said what is called an electric squib was attached to the shells when they were being loaded, but that was common practice.

"To my understanding, they had no idea of what caused this," Marietta said about the investigation.

Marquardt said witnesses said a box made a noise and then exploded. That explosion caused the other boxes to explode and burn. He said any number of things could have caused the first box to explode. The continuing investigation is focusing on trying to determine what caused the first explosion.