2006
Collymore Rock (a village just outside the capital, Bridgetown). David Griffith (51) was storing fireworks left over from New Year's celebrations when they blew up in an explosion heard within a 3.2-kilometre radius. The house went up in flames, and Griffith was burned beyond recognition. It took firefighters over an hour to control the blaze. The explosion forced a nursery school across the street to close.
Eyewitnesses said the blast was accompanied by what they described as a 'fireworks
display'. According to reports, the man usually collected fireworks from the
Barbados Defence Force (BDF) Headquarters at the Garrison, and defused those
that did not ignite, before returning them to the BDF base where all
fireworks are required to be stored. Officials are trying to determine why
the fireworks were not at the BDF as they should have been.
Source:
"Barbados blast. Explosion kills 1, sends isle into panic", 5.1.2006, http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article?id=126451740
"Explosion caused by fireworks", 5.1.2006, http://www.cbc.bb/content/view/3570/10/
"Barbados
Police investigating fireworks explosion", 6.1.2006, http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20060106/carib/carib3.html
"Barbados police probing fireworks explosion and death of man", 6.1.2006, http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/html/20060105T180000-0500_95968_OBS_BARBADOS_POLICE_PROBING_FIREWORKS_EXPLOSION_AND_DEATH_OF_MAN.asp