A Fourth of July celebration turned tragic when a firework accident claimed the life of Allen Ray McGrew, a 41-year-old HVAC worker known for his love of patriotic festivities. The incident occurred during a neighborhood block party in Summerville, South Carolina, roughly 35 minutes north of Charleston.
McGrew, dressed in a red, white, and blue Uncle Sam suit complete with a top hat and beard, was caught on camera dancing and smoking a cigarette just hours before the fatal accident. Friends and family laughed and cheered as McGrew, known for his jovial spirit, performed a funny jig while celebrating his favorite holiday.
“He’s dancing to his own tune,” one onlooker chuckled in a video that captured the moments leading up to the incident. Another remarked that the “big show” was about to start.
Later that evening, around 10:20 p.m., McGrew placed a large, lit firework on top of his stars-and-stripes hat, an act his wife, Paige Morris McGrew, believed was just for show. “I thought he was just showboating before he set it on the ground,” she told the media. “I didn’t realize he had already lit it.”
Despite neighbors’ attempts to stop him, the firework exploded, causing severe head injuries that likely resulted in McGrew’s immediate death. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 11:10 p.m.
Nick Paclibar, a neighbor who witnessed the aftermath, described the chaotic scene: “We came around and saw the cops down there. Thirty minutes later, the ambulance came, and after that, the fire truck. It was really crowded over there. Even after an hour, it was still crowded. A lot of traffic going in and out.”
McGrew’s family is struggling with the overwhelming grief and attention that followed the incident. “We’re traumatized,” said his son, 20-year-old Hunter McGrew. The family emphasized that McGrew was not a drunken fool but a hard-working and deeply patriotic man who loved celebrating the Fourth of July.
McGrew had been drinking that day, celebrating Independence Day and his son’s recent engagement. His wife Paige recalled his joy and pride: “He loved this country and looked forward to celebrating every year. Just before the incident happened, he hugged me and his son and said, ‘You are my rock, and you are my heart.’”
The couple had married just last year after being together since at least 2017, sharing moments of happiness documented in photos of their April 2023 nuptials.
“He was a genuine, good person and he loved life,” Paige McGrew shared. “He worked hard, and he played hard.” Neighbors echoed these sentiments, recalling how he would cut everyone’s lawn and help whenever needed.
The Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident, with detectives and crime scene investigators working to gather more information. Firework-related incidents claim nearly ten lives each year in the United States. This year alone, at least four people were killed in firework accidents, including several on Long Island, New York.
