Residents shaken after fireworks company explosion

An explosion at a pyrotechnic company in southwest Missouri’s Polk County Tuesday night left one woman in serious condition at a hospital after she was trapped inside.

There’s more information about that woman from ATF agents who say she was outside the door but trapped under a wall when firefighters arrived on scene.

An AM Pyrotechnics employee says the owners Amber and Aaron are preparing a statement for the public.

They want the public to know the community has been very kind, gathering around them with prayers and donation offers.

Firefighters said when they arrived Tuesday night, there were multiple explosions going off at the same time and they could hear the explosion from miles away.

Neighbor Ashlee Tennis said she was at home getting ready for dinner when she heard the explosion.

“They test fireworks here a lot, at first we didn’t really think a lot of it, because the kids love going out there and watching,” Tennis said, “but then we heard the first boom and saw the smoke, and immediately called 911 because we knew something was not right.”

She said there have been a lot of people working out there preparing for all the firework shows.

She’s glad no fatalities were reported but it was a scary experience.

“It felt like it was getting bombed, our house was shaking,” Tennis described, “we had a lot of pictures that fell off the wall, so nothing obviously that compares to what they’re going through right now. My children were definitely shaken a little, we probably won’t be doing fireworks today.”

Due to the explosion, firework display in Shell Knob was canceled.

“We lost the ones that were supposed to do our show,” explained Twilia Harrison, the executive director at Shell Knob Chamber of Commerce, “but Aaron and his company have contracted with us for over 17 years. He is a wonderful person, the company is good, given us a professional and beautiful display every year that we have used them. We are heartsick for him and the people that were injured. That being said, we had to cancel our show, and we’ll start up again next year.”

In Monett, a fireworks display was not canceled but was reduced for this year’s celebration.