A man lost his hand after an explosive device detonated while he was cleaning up July Fourth firework debris on a Northern California beach. Jason Turner and his girlfriend were walking along Point St. George Beach in Del Norte County, picking up firework remnants from the day before to help keep the beach clean.

Incident Details

Turner picked up a cylindrical device that unexpectedly went off, causing an explosion that resulted in the loss of his hand, according to his daughter, Ashley Turner. The Del Norte County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that deputies responded to reports of an explosion at the beach. Turner was found in the parking lot with a significant injury to his hand and was transported to a nearby hospital.

Sheriff Kayle Stevens told NBC News that investigators have not been able to determine exactly what exploded because no debris or remnants of the device were found. The couple was about a quarter mile from the parking area when the incident occurred, where there was no cell service, and had to make their way back to the parking lot to call for help.

Ashley Turner said on a GoFundMe page that her dad underwent an amputation of his hand and is expected to need additional surgeries. The explosion also resulted in metal fragments stuck in his eyes and behind his left eye, and his right ear drum is blown, leaving him with no hearing in that ear.

The Del Norte County Sheriff’s Office urged the public not to handle any suspected explosive devices and to immediately contact law enforcement if found. As of the report, the GoFundMe had raised nearly $90,000 to help cover Turner’s medical expenses.

Original reporting: Dallas TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.