Baby Suffers Ear Drum Damage After Fireworks Exploded Into Their House at Dawn

A 6-month-old baby may be suffering from long-term ear drum damage after his family was jolted by an unexpected blast due to fireworks that exploded inside their house. They were all asleep when the incident happened at dawn after the July 4th holiday.

Mom Brittany Meyer told 12 News that she has never heard such a loud explosion before. The fireworks narrowly missed hitting her and her baby on their bed at least two feet away.

The blast happened at 3:20 a.m. on Tuesday, July 5, and Meyer's husband immediately screamed for everyone to get out of the house. He grabbed their baby boy as their entire bedroom was filled with smoke. Sparks were going off all around.

Baby Boy's Hearing Was Tested

Meyer, who suffered some minor burns on her left arm, had her son's hearing tested when the doctor's office opened later that morning. She was worried because she temporarily lost her hearing as well. She knew her husband was screaming but did not hear anything.

According to ABC 15, the baby's preliminary results revealed he's not responding on the left ear. The boy also suffered some burns on his forehead.

Meyer's other child was staying in another room and was not harmed. But looking at the damage, Meyer said she is grateful that no one else was hurt and that everyone in their family is alive.

The mother said that they live in a fairly quiet and safe community where they did not have to worry about incidents like this. Now, she admitted that they are pretty shaken up after the blast left a huge hole in their bedroom. Meyer said that she's nervous to return to their house

"We're angry and upset," Meyer said. "But our lives were spared and that's the only blessing I'm trying to focus on."

The Gilbert Fire and Rescue Department are still conducting further investigations with no leads to the perpetrators. However, the authorities determined that the fireworks came from a moving vehicle driving down Chandler Heights Road.

By sharing their story, the Meyer family hopes someone will come forward with information about who ignited the fireworks. The Gilbert Police wants tipsters to phone them at 800-343-TIPS (8477).

Family's front lawn turns into a war zone

Another family in the U.S. was caught off guard when their fireworks for the July 4th celebrations were followed by a firestorm. According to Daily Mail, SimpliSafe released the footage of the accident, which was captured from the family home's security camera. It showed adults and kids gathered on the front lawn when the first firework went off.

After the first blast, a firestorm unexpectedly followed. Apparently, an entire box of fireworks was lit up by a shell from the first blast. The family scrambled to find a safe spot while the fireworks hit chairs, tables and blankets. It's unclear if people were hurt in this incident.

Data from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission showed that more than 11,500 fireworks injuries occurred during the July 4th celebrations in 2021. Despite the pandemic and the increasing cost of commodities, more Americans bought fireworks over the past two years, prompting the National Safety Council to remind families that while it's legal, fireworks remain unsafe, especially for children and the inexperienced.