Man loses hand in California beach explosion

A Northern California man lost his hand after a device exploded while he was picking up fireworks debris and trash on a beach over the holiday weekend, authorities and his family said.

The explosion happened July 5 at Point St. George Beach in Del Norte County, near Crescent City. The Del Norte County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded to reports of an explosion and found the injured man in the beach parking lot with a significant hand injury.

Family members identified him in an online fundraiser as Jason Turner. His daughter, Ashley Turner, wrote on GoFundMe that her father and his girlfriend were walking along the beach and cleaning up firework remnants from the day before “to help keep the beach clean” when he picked up what she described as a “bomb-like device that unexpectedly went off.”

“The explosion resulted in the loss of his hand, turning what should have been a simple act of kindness into a life-changing emergency,” Ashley Turner wrote.

The sheriff’s office has not publicly identified Turner or said what type of device exploded. Sheriff Kayle Stevens told NBC News that investigators have not been able to determine exactly what detonated because “we did not find any debris or remnants of the device.”

Stevens said Turner described the object as a cylindrical device protruding from a mound of sand near the waterline. It detonated when he picked it up, according to Stevens.

Turner and his girlfriend were about a quarter mile from the parking area when the explosion occurred, in a location with no cell service, Stevens told NBC News. They had to make their way back to the parking lot to call for help. First responders arrived about 20 minutes after the blast, he said.

Turner was taken by Del Norte Ambulance to Sutter Coast Hospital because of the severity of his injuries, the sheriff’s office said. He was later transported to UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento for further treatment.

Ashley Turner said her father underwent an amputation of his hand and is expected to need more surgeries. In an update, she wrote that he has “metal fragments stuck in his eyes and behind his left eye he has blood.” She also said his right eardrum is blown and he has no hearing in that ear, adding that his vision and hearing injuries may be permanent.

Turner’s girlfriend, Pamala, witnessed the explosion, according to the family. She told CBS News Sacramento that she used her shirt as a tourniquet to help stop the bleeding until first responders arrived.

Authorities searched the nearby beach for additional explosive devices and said Wednesday that no similar devices or remnants had been found. Deputies have continued checking the area as the investigation continues.

The Del Norte County Sheriff’s Office asked anyone with information about the incident to contact investigators. Officials also warned the public not to touch suspected explosive devices.

“If you find a suspected explosive device do not touch it. Move away to a safe distance and immediately contact law enforcement,” the sheriff’s office said.

As of Thursday, the GoFundMe had raised nearly $90,000 to help cover Turner’s medical expenses, according to NBC News.