SALEM Ore. (KPTV) – Five people were hospitalized with serious injuries after illegal fireworks exploded in a Salem neighborhood on the night of July 4, sending debris up to 80 yards and damaging six vehicles and a home, according to authorities.
Shortly before 11 p.m. Saturday, Salem police and fire crews were sent to a reported explosion at a home on Prairie Star Court Northeast, according to authorities.
Salem police said the explosion happened when people were using mortars “outside of the manufacturer’s instructions” on the street. Officials said alcohol was involved.
Four ambulances and two fire engines responded to the scene, where emergency medical treatment was given to five people ranging in age from 34 to 67. All five are expected to survive, but suffered serious injuries.
Five people were hospitalized with serious injuries after illegal fireworks exploded in a Salem neighborhood on the night of July 4, sending debris up to 80 yards and damaging six vehicles and a home, according to authorities. July 5, 2026.(KPTV)
Neighbor Mario, who said he heard the blast from inside his home, described the sound. “It sounded like a bomb. Oh, it was so loud. I mean, it was loud,” he said.
He said the noise prompted him to go outside to check on what had happened.
Neighbor Sergio Mondragon said the alarm on his truck went off immediately after the explosion. His vehicle was among the six damaged by the blast. “So what I noticed is that there’s… just kind of shattered the whole back of my windshield. And then there’s like a damage right here on the tailgate,” Mondragon said.
He said he believed the group had placed cinder blocks around the mortar to hold it in place. “The mortar probably didn’t fire properly and they just sent debris everywhere,” he said.
Mondragon added that pieces of cinder block were scattered across the street earlier that day.
Salem Fire Department Battalion Chief Nick Grice said the incident was a reminder of the risks posed by illegal fireworks. “The illegal ones, while they look cool, are dangerous and people do get injured,” Grice said.
Salem Police Department Public Information Officer Jonathan Hardy said the outcome could have been worse. “They always can end worse. I think in this particular case, it ended pretty badly,” Hardy said.
Salem Police’s bomb squad and felony crimes unit responded to the scene.
Investigators are still working to determine who purchased the mortars and who lit them. No charges have been filed as of the time of the report.
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