Dad died when his chest ‘exploded’ in front of children after firework accident
A dad was killed when his chest ‘exploded’ in front of horrified children when he lit a firework the wrong way around, police said.
Floyd Temple, 61, was shooting off large fireworks in his front yard in Toledo, Ohio early Tuesday to entertain neighborhood kids when he shot one in the direction of his chest.
Police said the mortar firework hit him and he died instantly.
Floyds niece Faatin Tample told Metro US that her uncle ‘loved fireworks and he had planned a big event for us all this past holiday.’
The grieving woman said at least two children, who were not related to the deceased, were there at the time of the horrific incident.
‘They are traumatized as one would expect’ she added.
The woman criticized the police and claimed they ‘were hostile upon arriving towards my cousin who was trying to revive my uncle. They yelled at them and told them to back away from the body.’
The niece argues that her uncle ‘was breathing upon their (the police) arrival and they just threw a cover over him.’
‘The police pushed and yelled at both children of the victim and were eager to arrest them more than help my uncle’ she claimed.
The grieving niece said Temple was more like a father to her.
She said: ‘After my mother and sister’s tragic death he stepped in and help raise me and my siblings.’
She said her mother and sister were murdered by a serial killer in 1984.
Witnesses told WTOL Temple was setting off fireworks all day for children and the tragic incident happened in front of them.
‘It went off and his chest exploded, and [the kids] ran over to my house and told me about it. That’s when police showed up,’ said neighbor Rick Tuggle.
‘They were sitting right there on the stairs when it happened’ he added.
One man said he tried to save Temple immediately following the accident, until rescue crews could arrive on scene.