Angry neighbor blames social media for tragic fireworks incident

Family, friends, and neighbors residing at Sandy Park Apartments in west Tulsa are in deep sorrow following a tragic incident on Labor Day that claimed the life of a 13-year-old boy. Reports from witnesses indicated that a group of teenagers were lighting fireworks when one of the boys was found injured, accompanied by a small fire. The teenagers were using mortar-style fireworks, and tragically, the victim was holding the tube with the mortar directed at his head when it went off. The boy succumbed to his injuries at the hospital. Tulsa Fire Department’s Public Information Officer, Andy Little, highlighted the importance of the choices young people make and stressed the community's shared responsibility for safety in the neighborhood in such situations. A neighbor who spoke to 2 News expressed disappointment over some social media comments blaming the parents and defended the victim, describing him as a good kid who was just being a typical teenage boy. She urged commenters to empathize with the grieving family and emphasized the need for sensitivity in such tragic circumstances. It is essential to remember that the use of fireworks within Tulsa city limits is against the law, and authorities should be alerted if any dangerous activity is witnessed or heard. Tulsa Public Schools did not provide a comment on this specific incident but underscored the availability of grief counseling services within schools.