La’veyah Mosely was playing with her friends and family on the day after Independence Day last summer.
That’s their family tradition, Mosely said: Shooting off fireworks and playing in the street on July 5. During the celebration, a neighbor picked up an unexploded firework from the ground. He believed it was a sparkler, and handed it to Mosely, who lit it.
What neither of them knew was that the firework was actually an M-80, a small, powerful explosive packed with flash powder that’s illegal to own in California. The mistake changed Mosely’s life forever.
A victim of illegal fireworks, La’Veyah Mosley, 13, right, bravely talks about her injuries as a result of fireworks. Her sister, La’Niyah Mosley and Marc Maye stand to support her. L.A. city and county fire officials – along with departments from throughout Southern California joined up with those from Cal Fire to talk about the dangers of fireworks at the Frank Hotchkin Memorial Training Center in Los Angeles on Friday, June 30, 2023. (Photo by Dean Musgrove, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
The first of three watermelons explodes during the demonstration of illegal fireworks. L.A. city and county fire officials – along with departments from throughout Southern California joined up with those from Cal Fire to talk about the dangers of fireworks at the Frank Hotchkin Memorial Training Center in Los Angeles on Friday, June 30, 2023. (Photo by Dean Musgrove, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
L.A. city and county fire officials – along with departments from throughout Southern California joined up with those from Cal Fire to talk about the dangers of fireworks at the Frank Hotchkin Memorial Training Center in Los Angeles on Friday, June 30, 2023. (Photo by Dean Musgrove, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
LAFD Fire Chief Kristin Crowley talks about the dangers of illegal fireworks. L.A. city and county fire officials – along with departments from throughout Southern California joined up with those from Cal Fire to talk about the dangers of fireworks at the Frank Hotchkin Memorial Training Center in Los Angeles on Friday, June 30, 2023. (Photo by Dean Musgrove, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Illegal fireworks on display as L.A. city and county fire officials – along with departments from throughout Southern California joined up with those from Cal Fire to talk about the dangers of fireworks at the Frank Hotchkin Memorial Training Center in Los Angeles on Friday, June 30, 2023. (Photo by Dean Musgrove, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
A victim of illegal fireworks, La’Veyah Mosley, 13, standing with Dr. Matt Young from the Grossman Burn Center, bravely talks about her injuries as a result of fireworks. L.A. city and county fire officials – along with departments from throughout Southern California joined up with those from Cal Fire to talk about the dangers of fireworks at the Frank Hotchkin Memorial Training Center in Los Angeles on Friday, June 30, 2023. (Photo by Dean Musgrove, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
“It blew up,” the 13-year-old told reporters gathered at a Los Angeles Fire Department training center in the shadow of Dodgers Stadium. “I lost all my fingers on my left hand.”
Mosely was there on Friday, June 30, flanked by two dozen fire and law enforcement officials, to speak about the dangers of illegal fireworks as the region braces for another July 4th holiday and the potential for injuries and destruction that comes with it.
Daniel Berlant, California’s acting fire marshal, listed the types of fireworks that authorities will be watching for.
“Sky rockets, bottle rockets, Roman candles, aerial shells, firecrackers,” he said in front of a table lined with fireworks. “Nearly anything that explodes, goes up in the air, or moves around on the ground uncontrollably is considered illegal.”
LAFD Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said her department has seized 250,000 pounds of illegal fireworks since last July 4th. Officials said in the city last year fireworks injured 16 people and caused $1 million in property damage.
To display the power of illegal fireworks, officials rigged up three watermelons with explosives.
“This is going to be loud,” said the explosives handler, counting down.
He obliterated each fruit with a thundering blast, sending chunks of watermelon raining down on the pavement.
