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UPDATE: Caryville Man Injured in Fireworks Blast Has Hand Amputated Save Email Print
Reporter: Stacy McCloud

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Washington, DC (WVLT) - Doctors have amputated the hand of an East Tennessee man, who was injured following a Fourth of July fireworks show in Washington DC.

41-year old Bob Crapsey from Caryville worked for LaFollette based Pyro Shows.

Pyro Show President Landston Hill says that a large mortar shell failed to go off during the show, and instead, exploded about a half hour after the show ended, injuring Crapsey and another crew member.

Crapsey's wife says her husband suffered third degree burns on the broken arm.

He also has a broken leg and some minor burns on his chest and face.

The other worker suffered minor injuries.

Doctors say they were forced to amputate Crapsey’s hand because the muscle had become infected.


Washington, DC (WVLT) - An accident following the big fireworks show at our nation’s capitol has left a local man seriously injured.

Forty-one-year-old Bob Crapsey of Caryville, is a crew member for Pyro Shows based in LaFollette, Tennessee.

He was traveling with one of many Pyro crews putting on fireworks displays across the country.

Volunteer TV’s Stacy McCloud just got off the phone with his wife and has the details.

Mr. Crapsey's wife is in DC with her husband this afternoon and confirmed that he is in stable condition and is alert, but does have many injuries following the late night accident at Washington DC’s National Mall.

A Pyro Show employee that spoke to WVLT says that the accident happened just about 15 minutes after the show was over, at around 10:00 p.m. Wednesday.

Police there in DC say that Crapsey and another crew member were working in a fire pit over the National Mall when a leftover unused shell exploded.

Crapsey’s wife says that Bob was on top of a trailer when the shell went off. He was then thrown off the trailer onto the ground.

Crapsey was flow to a nearby hospital where he remains in the intensive care burn unit.

Crapsey’s wife Donna says that her husband had to have surgery last night on a broken arm and they will likely go back in Thursday night to remove dead tissue.

He has gad third degree burns on that broken arm as well as a broken leg, and some minor burns on his face and chest.

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Posted by: Patti Crapsey Gibson Location: Virginia on Jul 9, 2007 at 12:44 PM
Bob is my brother and we are all praying that he pulls through this he is a strong family man and we love him very much.

Posted by: Lisa Location: Jacksboro on Jul 6, 2007 at 12:53 PM
He was injured in DC. He is a very nice man, a great father and husband, please pray for Bob and his family.

Posted by: Stacy McCloud Location: WVLT on Jul 6, 2007 at 12:10 PM
Hi Jamie, You can read both stories above for more information, but he was injured in D.C. just about 30 minuets AFTER the fireworks show. Thanks for writing!

Posted by: Linda Bailey Location: Knox,TN on Jul 6, 2007 at 05:04 AM
let's all Pray for him and for the LORD AND SAVIOR to give his wife to take care of him . May GOD BLess the entire family

Posted by: jamie marcum Location: east,Tennesse on Jul 5, 2007 at 03:17 PM
was he injured in east,Tennesse or was he injured in dc

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