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Fireworks burned at La Grange farm, some communities cancel Fourth of July celebrations

Some North Carolina towns are canceling their July 4th celebrations after a recent fireworks-related death and a large amount of fireworks were destroyed in a related fire.

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Some North Carolina towns are canceling their July 4th celebrations after a recent fireworks-related death and a large amount of fireworks were destroyed in a related fire.

Three people were hospitalized and one was killed when commercial-grade fireworks detonated earlier this month on a small farm in La Grange. Dozens of firefighters remained on the scene seven hours after the fire bomb, which started as a controlled burn in a hay field.

Randy Herring, who owned the farm property, was killed in the explosion.

Since then, Independence Day celebrations have been canceled in Franklin and Wilson counties. A Franklin County representative said some of the commercial-grade fireworks lost in the La Grange fire would have been used in their celebration.

“Franklin County is saddened by the loss of life from the fire in Lenoir County last week which resulted in several injuries to firefighters fighting a fire which also included the detonation of commercial-grade fireworks in a storage container," a release sent out on Monday stated. "As a result of the destruction of the fireworks – which would have been used in this year’s celebration – and the lack of time to find replacements, the county will have to cancel this year’s Independence Day fireworks and accompanying festivities.”

Brooke Allen's family will have to find another way to celebrate Independence Day.

"It's going to be a bummer," she said. "We're going to have to find somewhere else. Gas is so expensive now too, you know you don't want to travel a long way."

Louisburg resident Christie Jordan said she was disappointed. "In Louisburg, especially over the last several years, there has been a very limited amount of things for families to get together," she said.

Last week, several shows in Wilson County were canceled, including one in Stantonsburg.

"It is with great sadness that we announce the cancellation of our July 3rd Fireworks Show," a statement from the Wilson County Fair's Facebook page read. "The explosion that happened in LaGrange last Friday has caused the cancellation of many shows in eastern NC."

"Due to a tragedy beyond our control, we have had to make the decision to cancel the planned fireworks event on July 2," read a statement from Stantonsburg on social media.

In Onslow County, Swansboro canceled its show as well.

Recently, Raleigh decided to move its fireworks show to Dorothea Dix Park instead of usual host Carter-Finley Stadium.

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