Pullman man seriously injured after fireworks tube explodes, severs artery in thigh

A Pullman man in his 20s sustained life-threatening injuries Sunday when a fireworks tube exploded and apparently severed his artery.

The Pullman Fire Department did not release the man's name but in a news release said the incident occurred on the 300 block of Northwest Thomas Street. The man reportedly braced the fireworks tube on his thigh when it exploded and injured his leg.

Neighbors tried to stop the bleeding with a belt tourniquet and called first responders to the scene. Pullman Police officer Brock Westerman also applied a tourniquet that may have saved the man from possibly bleeding out and dying, according to the news release.

Paramedics stabilized the injured man and rushed him to Pullman Regional Hospital. He was flown by a Life Flight helicopter to Spokane's Providence Sacred Heart Hospital for surgery.

Pullman emergency personnel on Sunday also responded to several fires that were caused by fireworks.

A one-acre fire was reported at approximately 9:30 p.m. near the intersection of Clearwater and Bypass drives.

A 60-foot tree and two power poles were damaged from a fire on the 400 block of Northwest Harrison Street. No structures were damaged and Avista was called for repairs.

A small fire was reported at approximately 11:30 p.m. on the 900 block of Southwest Itani Drive. A resident and firefighters were able to fully extinguish the flames.

According to the Whitman County Sheriff's Office, firefighters also responded to fires Sunday in the area of Granite Point, Southview Street in Colfax and O'Donnell Road. These were most likely caused by fireworks.