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Ottawa Co. Sheriff says firework explosion that killed woman was 'not a commercial firework'

The Ottawa County Sheriff's Office says that "the device that exploded was not a commercial firework."

OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich. — The Ottawa County Sheriff's Office (OCSO) says that the explosion that killed a Holland woman in Park Township Monday night was "not a commercial firework."

The sheriff's office says that the explosion happened around 11:10 p.m. on July 3.

OCSO says they are investigating the explosion and have found that the device that exploded was not a commercial firework. They believe that one of the people attending the gathering supplied the device.

The woman killed in the explosion has been identified by the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office.

Jana Daniels, 41, was killed in an explosion during an amateur fireworks display in the 1700 block of Main Street in Park Township.

An autopsy of Daniels, performed at Holland Hospital, determined the cause of death to be cardiac laceration due to a shrapnel injury. Police say the death was ruled accidental.

The sheriff's office says that the explosion sent shrapnel and metal pieces into the air, hitting people, cars and homes.

Investigators believe that the the metal pieces and shrapnel were from a homemade metal tube designed to launch mortar firework shells. The explosion caused the tube to fracture and scatter metal pieces between the size of a pea and a fist into a crowd of people.

Nine other victims sustained injuries from the explosion and as of July 5, five of the victims have been treated and released from a hospital.

Other victims are still hospitalized, but are expected to survive, the sheriff's office says.

At least five vehicles and three homes were damaged in the explosion. Police say that some shrapnel and metal pieces went through walls and windows of the nearby homes.

OSCO says they do not believe that the device was meant to explode and the blast was accidental.

This incident remains under investigation and anyone with information is asked to contact the Sheriff's Office or Silent Observer at 1-877-88-SILENT (745368) or mosotips.com.

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