8-year-old girl dies after fireworks display misfires on street in Buena Park; homeowner arrested

An 8-year-old girl has died from injuries suffered during an illegal fireworks display that misfired on a street in Buena Park, police said.

BUENA PARK, Calif. (CNS) — An 8-year-old girl has died from injuries suffered during an illegal July Fourth fireworks display at a neighborhood in Buena Park, authorities said Saturday.

The child was injured at about 9:45 p.m. Friday in the 8000 block of Cornflower Circle, north of La Palma and Stanton avenues, according to the Buena Park Police Department. Officers were patrolling there after seeing a large quantity of fireworks detonate in the area, and observed family members “frantically carrying a child into a residence.”

They stopped and attempted life-saving efforts before the girl was rushed to UC Irvine Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.

“Through initial investigation, a large illegal fireworks display, which was placed in the street by the homeowner, failed and began misfiring toward the residence where the child was,” police said Saturday. “This caused other illegal fireworks to ignite, which were near the child and others. At some point, the child had been struck, causing fatal injuries. Several other individuals were present, but no significant injuries were reported.”

The department added that the homeowner was arrested, and charges are pending upon review from the Orange County District Attorney’s Office. The BPPD was working with Orange County Fire Authority investigators and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department Bomb Squad.

The child has not been identified.