Man injured in fireworks explosion

A Dunn County man suffered significant damage to one of his hands when the fireworks he was holding exploded.

Michael Schmitt of Dunn County (no age or address was reported) suffered a “great amount” of damage to one of his hands in a fireworks explosion that occurred at approxiamtely 6:23 p.m. Monday, February 11 at his residence stated a news release from Dunn County Sheriff Dennis Smith.

The release stated that the county’s E-911 center received a call requesting an ambulance for a male subject who had a partial amputation.

When Dunn County Sheriff’s officers arrrived on the scene it was discovered that Schmitt had lit the fuse of a substanial piece of fireworks and that it had exploded before he was able to release it, causing significant trama to his hand that required immediate medical care.

A Menomonie Fire Department ambulance and Mayo One Air Ambulance were also dispatched to the scene.  However, it was soon discovered that the initial address reported was not accurate and that the call was acutally in the Colfax Ambulance’s service area, at which time Colfax was dispatched to the scene. The Menomonie Fire ambulance did continue to the scene as the caller reported a large amount of blood loss by the victim.

Colfax EMS transported the victim from the scene to the intersection of CTH BB and CTH B where he was transferred to Mayo One Air Ambulance and flown to Mayo-Luther in Eau Claire for treatment.

Neither Schmitt’s condition nor prognosis was not known at press time Tuesday.