Firework mortar hits man in face, causes serious injuries, Illinois officials say

MCHENRY CO., Ill. - A man was seriously injured when a large firework mortar hit him in the face and exploded in the far northwest suburban McHenry County on Saturday night.

First responders were sent to the 1300 block of Beach Street in unincorporated Crystal Lake around 9:16 p.m., according to the Nunda Rural Fire Protection District.

What we know:

When the crews arrived at the scene, they found a large crowd gathered on a small one-way street that made it difficult for them to get to the patient.

They eventually found the man who had serious injuries after he was hit in the face, and the firework mortar exploded.

Paramedics initially asked for a medical helicopter because of the seriousness of the injuries, but it was not available because of inclement weather.

The man was taken by ambulance to Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital.

What we don't know:

Fire officials did not detail the extent of the man’s injuries.

The McHenry County Sheriff's Office is investigating the incident.