A man in Northern California suffered life-altering injuries when a "shiny, round object" he picked up on Point St. George Beach exploded in his hand, leading to its amputation. Jason Turner was cleaning up firework debris near Crescent City on Fourth of July when he encountered the device.
The object, described as "bomb-like," detonated as Turner held it, causing severe damage to his left hand, as well as vision and hearing loss. He was transported to Sutter Coast Hospital in Crescent City, conscious but severely injured. His girlfriend, who was with him, was unharmed.
The Del Norte County Sheriff’s Office believes the explosive was a homemade firework, approximately six inches in length, that had been left on the beach. A GoFundMe page established by his family states that the incident turned "what should have been a simple act of kindness into a life-changing emergency."
Turner is expected to be out of work for an extended period, and his family is seeking $40,000 through the GoFundMe to assist with medical bills and other recovery expenses. As of the report, the campaign had already raised approximately $23,000 from public donations.
This incident follows a similar event in June, where an 18-year-old in California also lost a hand while handling a firework outside an In-N-Out Burger.