Man Killed Setting Off Fireworks On Wareham Beach During July 4 Celebration

A 70-year-old man from Massachusetts lost his life to a firework while lighting them off during a beachside Fourth of July party, according to authorities.

Fireworks

The Wareham Fire Department

The Massachusetts State Police and the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office say that Robert Spagnuolo, a Wareham father of four, was declared dead at the scene when a firework detonated and left him with severe facial injuries.

According to officials, Spagnuolo was discovered by first responders on Beach Street in Wareham soon after 4:15 p.m. on Friday, July 4, with what appeared to be a facial injury from a firework.

Along with State Police investigators from the Massachusetts Fire Marshal’s Office, the State Police Bomb Squad, and the DA’s office, Wareham Police, Fire, and EMS also responded.

A collaborative inquiry was started once bomb technicians verified that there were no more explosive dangers.

According to state officials, investigators found that Spagnuolo was igniting fireworks at the beach when one detonated, resulting in severe injuries.

The official cause and manner of death will be decided by the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office.

The inquiry is still under progress.

Because of their risk, authorities emphasized that fireworks are prohibited in Massachusetts without a license or certification.

Half of the 220 individuals treated in state emergency rooms for fireworks-related injuries between 2020 and 2024 occurred in June and July.