Sean Ogden, Durango Man, Injured After Mixing Fireworks In Coffee Grinder

Colorado Teen Injured After Mixing Fireworks In Coffee Grinder

Sean Ogden, a 19-year-old Durango resident, was seriously injured Monday after putting fireworks in a coffee grinder and attempting to mix them to create a larger firework. The mixture exploded.

Ogden was taken to Mercy Regional Medical center and later flown to the University of Colorado for more extensive treatment.

The Durango Herald reports the fireworks were purchased in or near Cortez, Colorado. Ogden likely decided the fireworks were too small and followed directions on the internet to dismantle and reassemble them into something larger.

Durango Fire & Rescue Authority's fire Marshal, Tom Kaufman, speculated that friction from the coffee grinder ignited the mixture. The ensuing explosion shook houses a quarter-mile away.

Other Colorado metro areas also struggled with fireworks enforcement during the July 4th weekend. Colorado Springs police responded to 5,424 calls from July 2 through July 5, 766 of which were for fireworks.

Popular in the Community

Close

What's Hot