Fire caused by illegal fireworks burns young Las Vegas girl

A young girl was badly burned when several illegal fireworks exploded at a Fourth of July party in the northwest valley.

The Las Vegas Fire Department received several initial calls about an explosion at 7716 Picnic St. that injured 40 to 50 people just after 11 p.m.

Fire Department spokesman Tim Szymanski said there were about 100 people in the street, but many of them ran away when firefighters arrived. First responders found a fire burning in the garage and a palm tree on fire near the house.

Witnesses immediately told responders that a young girl had been burned by the explosion, and she was found in the home’s garage and taken to the University Medical Center with burns on about 50 percent of her body, Szymanski said.

Investigators discovered that people were shooting illegal fireworks in the middle of the street in front of the home. At some point someone taped together several fireworks and tried to light them all at once.

The fireworks fell over after they were lit and shot into the home’s garage before exploding. Szymanski said people at the scene had to use fire extinguishers to reach the girl in the garage before responders arrived. The fire in the garage was intense enough to melt several lawn chairs, Szymanski said.

Fire officials requested that the Metropolitan Police Department’s abuse and neglect unit investigate the incident because the girl appeared to be a bystander and was not related to the people who were throwing the party.

Several other people were burned in the explosion but refused medical treatment, Szymanski said.

The explosion is under investigation.

Contact Max Michor at mmichor@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Find @MaxMichor on Twitter.