A 23-year-old Minneapolis man has died following a firework accident on Independence Day. Yaseen Samir Abumayyaleh was on the roof of the abandoned Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant with a group of 15 to 20 people when a mortar tube firework he was holding exploded. The incident occurred around 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, July 8.
First responders received a 911 call reporting a man injured by an exploding firework. The caller stated the man had injuries to his face and chest and was unconscious but breathing. Authorities determined the factory's stairs were unusable for evacuation. A sergeant with the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office requested a helicopter from the Minnesota Air Rescue Team, but the request was canceled when firefighters determined a boom lift on a fire engine could be used for transport.
Paramedics and firefighters transported Abumayyaleh to Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis. He underwent surgery but died from his injuries. The Lake Johanna Fire Department stated that the accident is under investigation by state and local agencies.
Abumayyaleh was a member of the Young Muslims of Minnesota. The organization released a statement offering condolences to his family. Friends and family also shared tributes on social media, with one cousin noting the large turnout at his funeral as a testament to his impact.
Firework accidents are not uncommon in Minnesota, but fatalities are rare. State Fire Marshal Dan Krier told The Minnesota Star Tribune that four people, including Abumayyaleh, have died in firework accidents in the state since 2021. Aerial fireworks and those that explode are illegal throughout Minnesota, according to Fire Chief Tim Boehlke.
The Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant, built in the early 1940s to produce ordnance for the U.S. military during World War II, ceased operations in 1976. The abandoned factory has become a site where young people reportedly sneak in to explore and party. The current property owner, Mario Cocchiarella, told the Minneapolis Star Tribune that he had not been aware of the incident and has faced challenges in keeping trespassers off the property.