Fireworks container causes explosion in Michigan

[Wholesale Fireworks]

Just saw this today but do not have a lot of details. Please share if you know more
http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2015/01/police_residents_near_fatal_i-.html#incart_river

[PGH_Pyro]

it seemed to be away from the other cars in that pile-up . i saw video on the weather channel.
clearly just 1.4 fireworks .

[NWPA]

How awful. You can't help feeling badly for all those involved.

[N3OQO]

Hope it wasn't headed to your place Ray!!!

[Playingwithfire85]

The title of this was a bit misleading. The fireworks explosion was a result of the accident.

[Westpapyro]

Just saw this today but do not have a lot of details. Please share if you know more
http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2015/01/police_residents_near_fatal_i-.html#incart_river
Friend of a friend of a friend says it was a Bigs container?

[Playingwithfire85]

I will check with a few contacts of mine from red apple/motor city fireworks and bigs and see what they say.

[Melp]

This happened about 45 minutes away from my home its been all over our local stations I didn't think it hit the national stations. Last I heard was 1 had died many hurt 70 semi's in the accident and a total of 150 vehicles, I 94 was closed down for about 12 hours. They had city buses on the highway to help motorist stay warm and get them into town

[displayfireworks1]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKo8WMnHwBA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZRrYG6vtU8
http://pix.epodunk.com/locatorMaps/mi/MI_21807.gif
GALESBURG, Mich. (WZZM) -- A crash involving 193 vehicles on I-94 between Battle Creek and Kalamazoo killed one person, injured 23, and closed the freeway Friday.

There were 26 semis and 34 cars involved on the eastbound side of the freeway, and several vehicles there were burning in the pileup west of exit 92. Among them was a truck that carried 44,000 pounds of hazardous materials and another hauling fireworks. Shortly before noon, those fireworks caught fire, causing an extended display of aerial explosions. Police said crews are still fighting flareups and monitoring the air as of 8:23pm.

The westbound side of the freeway saw 50 semis and 83 cars involved.

Michigan State Police confirmed one fatality in the crash: Jean Larocque, a 57-year-old semi truck driver from Saint-Chrysostome, Quebec, Canada.

[displayfireworks1]

http://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/4def4f6ed4b831d1f7185fd9b2df4b5b3b6c3d69/c=238-0-3761-2649&r=x513&c=680x510/local/-/media/2015/01/09/MIGroup/BattleCreek/635564105749756288-94crash01.10.03.jpg
http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/BN-GJ235_MICHCR_P_20150109144409.jpg
http://i.embed.ly/1/display/resize?key=1e6a1a1efdb011df84894040444cdc60&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpbs.twimg.com%2Fmedia%2FB66uNJSIc AARuAA.jpg
http://i.embed.ly/1/display/resize?key=1e6a1a1efdb011df84894040444cdc60&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpbs.twimg.com%2Fmedia%2FB66zzYYIM AAQi1-.jpg
http://imgick.mlive.com/home/mlive-media/width960/img/kalamazoogazette/photo/2015/01/09/-e47d52995fd5bb8a.JPG
http://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/05d49879a10435e515b70bd8f559ec1fb7fe046f/c=1-0-679-510&r=x513&c=680x510/local/-/media/2015/01/09/WLTX/WLTX/635564173846070279-635564105658808288-94crash01.10.09.jpg

[displayfireworks1]

I have a source at a Grand Rapids news station that will possibly be giving more information on what fireworks company was involved in this. Because the area has been identified as hazardous material they can not get closer. The video they have of the fireworks exploding is from one of their freelancers who arrived before police sealed off the area. . He will review video he has for identifying information and get back to me. The second "Hazardous Material" agent has not been release other than identifying it as hazardous. It is also undermined if the driver that died was the fireworks driver or not. The truck driver was from Canada. From the rate of burn and lack of a mass detonation, the product appears to be consumer fireworks in my opinion. If display product was involved I am sure it would have mass exploded.
What I know for sure is this is not a Phantom Fireworks truck.

[displayfireworks1]

One of the hazardous materials names has been released. It is Formic Acid. Of course the other hazardous material are the fireworks.
What is Formic Acid?
MSDS Sheet
http://avogadro.chem.iastate.edu/MSDS/formic_acid.htm
Formic acid is a chemical that is both naturally occurring and frequently synthesized in laboratories. In nature, it is most commonly found in the bites and stings of insects, namely ants and bees. It is this compound that causes most of the irritation that occurs immediately following an ant bite or a bee sting. Although it can be very dangerous when highly concentrated, formic acid is very frequently used in food products as a preservative or on crops as a pesticide. In its purest form, it has little to no color, and a very strong odor. Despite its natural use as a deterrent for predators, humans have found many practical, everyday uses for this versatile chemical.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvYff2_N_6A
This next video amazed me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sp8b1vVnQSY
.
From what we see here the Formic Acid while hazardous may not interfere with much as far as clean up on this accident.

[displayfireworks1]

According to my source at the fire department the accident occurred Michigan I-94 between mile marker 90 to 91. Here is pictures of that stretch of road in the summer. You can see the side road the news reported was on to capture the video of the fireworks truck burning.
http://pyrotalk.com/wp-photos/wp-content/gallery/united-states-michigan/accident-1-666cc7c584fabd28efdeeb08d9a5040b1fba9760.jpg
http://pyrotalk.com/wp-photos/wp-content/gallery/united-states-michigan/accident-2-b19f44697e1c76027fdb0492154b70c4956949fa.jpg
http://pyrotalk.com/wp-photos/wp-content/gallery/united-states-michigan/accident-3-8d5b5b5e4ae2f6bdef27f87e8b07331a37ef863e.jpg
http://pyrotalk.com/wp-photos/wp-content/gallery/united-states-michigan/accident-4-a13663350ba601b700abf3a52fc1e992a6331a88.jpg

[jknepp1954]

http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2015/01/michigan_i-94_crash_fireworks.html#incart_river
If info is correct - I would say it way a BIGS product. The driver of fireworks truck was NOT injured.

[displayfireworks1]

I take you are saying it is Big Fireworks from the city location given? Julie Heckman will get to the answer if anyone would. LOL I see her response in the article. If something ever happens to me I want Julie Heckman to answer for me. Note in her response how she covered all the key things to minimize the event. For example she covered the no mass detonation, reviewed the history of safety transporting fireworks, the fireworks truck was not the cause of the accident rather he was a victim also, and states there is still plenty of time to order more before the fireworks season. I do not think the APA would be the same without her.

[jknepp1954]

Yes - that is why I said that - unless there is another company in Lansing?

[Melp]

WOOD TV8
11 hrs · Edited ·
UPDATE: It has been over 24 hours since both directions of I-94 were closed west of Battle Creek due to two pileups involving 193 vehicles.
Police have reopened westbound I-94 Saturday night, but eastbound remains closed while crews work to remove four remaining semi-trucks, including one carrying hazardous material.
DETAILS: http://wp.me/p4yStY-ia3

Like · · Share · 21440141

[Wholesale Fireworks]

I did that on purpose... I figured it would get all of your attention and we would get a more accurate explanation. IT WORKED

[Minishow]

It was a Big Fireworks shipment. Some of the items were Sharp Shooter (http://www.wikifireworks.com/firework.php?id=3195&group=index.html%3Fsearch%3DSharp%2BShooter%26sort %3Dscore%2Bdesc%26details%3Dall%26page%3D1%26rows% 3D25), Massive American (http://www.wikifireworks.com/firework.php?id=3224&group=index.html%3Fsearch%3DMassive%2BAmerican%26s ort%3Dscore%2Bdesc%26details%3Dall%26page%3D1%26ro ws%3D25), Smoking Aces (http://www.wikifireworks.com/firework.php?id=3196&group=index.html%3Fsearch%3DSmoking%2BAces%26sort% 3Dscore%2Bdesc%26details%3Dall%26page%3D1%26rows%3 D25), Crackin Skulls (http://www.wikifireworks.com/firework.php?id=3130&group=index.html%3Fsearch%3DCrackin%2BSkulls%26sor t%3Dscore%2Bdesc%26details%3Dall%26page%3D1%26rows %3D25), SMB's and a few other items.