Fireworks truck explodes on Ocracoke; 4 dead, 1 hurt

OCRACOKE, N.C.

A fourth person has died from injuries suffered Saturday when a truck carrying fireworks for a July Fourth holiday display exploded on Ocracoke, an official confirmed today.

Hyde County spokeswoman Jamie Tunnell said sheriff’s officials confirmed today that the fourth victim had succumbed to injuries after being taken by helicopter to Pitt County Memorial Hospital in Greenville, N.C.

The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has determined that the explosion was accidental, a bureau spokesman said Sunday.

The blast occurred at approximately 9 a.m. in the parking lot of the Ocracoke campus of the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching, near the island's South Ferry Terminal. Officials weren't sure what caused the load to ignite, said Hyde County Manager Carl Classen.

One victim died at the scene, and a second died at the University of North Carolina's Jaycee Burn Center at Chapel Hill, Tunnell said.

One other victim remained at the burn center, and two were taken by helicopter to Pitt County Memorial Hospital in Greenville, N.C., where they both died, Tunnell said.

The worker flown to the burn center was in fair condition, said Clinton Colmenares, a center spokesman.

The Fourth of July parade scheduled for Saturday was canceled after the explosion, but organizers decided to hold the parade Sunday afternoon in memory of the four workers who died.

The parade included vehicles from the volunteer fire department and National Park Service, and it covered about a mile through the village on Highway 12.

Sundae Horn, an Ocracoke resident, said Saturday that people didn't feel like celebrating Independence Day after the tragedy.

"Everyone is very subdued," she said. " Everybody wants to celebrate today and it's too sad."

Federal agents were headed to the island to investigate. All of the blast's victims, four men and a woman, were members of the crew working on Ocracoke Island's fireworks show, which was canceled. How many fireworks exploded wasn't immediately determined, but the company was expected to have enough fireworks for a 22-minute show.

Rachel O'Neal, who was working at the South Ferry Terminal's ticket booth Saturday morning, witnessed the explosion and called 911. The blast occurred as the crew was opening a door to the truck, she said.

Two explosions shook homes and businesses and could be heard for miles, witnesses said. Debris flew through the parking lot, which sits near the water's edge.

Ocracoke volunteer firefighters were already at the scene to help prepare for the fireworks show, which was to be held adjacent to the parking lot on a beach of the Pamlico Sound.

"They were able to react extremely quickly and efficiently," said Brian Carter, a paramedic with Ocracoke EMS.

"There was a huge mushroom cloud," said O'Neal, who works for the North Carolina Department of Transportation's Ferry Division. "Everything was in flames, and the whole shoreline was on fire."

O'Neal said she and her fiance saw one of the crew members blown back toward the shoreline. A firework blew through another one of the crew member's cheeks, she said.

"Their clothing was all burned," she said. "It all burned up and it blew off."

She said tourists began running toward the site after the second explosion, and she tried to keep them away.

Ocracoke Island is the southernmost inhabited island on the Outer Banks, about two hours from the mainland, and is accessible only by ferry or air. About 800 people live on the island year round.

The South Ferry Terminal is near Ocracoke Village and serviced by the Cedar Island-Ocracoke Ferry and the Swan Quarter-Ocracoke Ferry.

Not all of the fireworks exploded, and officials closed the terminal until they could secure the remaining pyrotechnics. It remained closed into Saturday evening.

The island's North Ferry Terminal, which is serviced by the Hatteras-Oracoke Ferry, was temporarily closed, but it opened again in the afternoon to transport emergency vehicles, said Terry Gray, operations manager for the ferry.

The incident drew a response from volunteers and the region's first responders, including the Ocracoke Volunteer Fire Department, Hyde County EMS, Hyde County Sheriff's Office, National Park Service, the NCDOT Ferry Division, the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries and the Ocracoke Health Center, according to a Hyde County statement. Three doctors and volunteer nurses were also on the scene.

Two volunteer firefighters suffered inhalation injuries and exhaustion. Paramedics transported them to the hospital for treatment.

The FBI; ATF; the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation; and an Explosive Ordinance Disposal Company are investigating.

The fireworks company, Melrose South Pyrotechnics of Catawba, S.C., said it was sending a company representative to Ocracoke to work with authorities on the investigation.

In the past, the village has paid about $20,000 for the fireworks show. This would have been the third year the company did fireworks on Ocracoke.

This report includes information from The Associated Press and Pilot writer Shawn Day.

Catherine Kozak, (252) 441-1711, cate.kozak@pilotonline.com

Kathy Adams, (757) 222-5155, kathy.adams@pilotonline.com