FAMILY FUN – Crystal Johns holds her son Zayne , 2, as she follows her son Ezekiel, 4, up an inflatable slide Saturday at Xoots Elementary School during the annual Spring Carnival. The event included games, prizes, cotton candy, and karaoke. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
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Daily Sitka Sentinel
Two Seriously Hurt In Fireworks Accident
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
Two young women were seriously injured in a fireworks accident Friday night as they watched the Fourth of July fireworks display some distance from the launch site on Japonski Island.
Friends identified the women as sisters Karen and Michelle Maytorenas of Sitka. They said both were taken to the hospital, and Karen was later medevacked to Seattle.
The exact details of what occurred are not clear, since everything occurred quickly and it was dark, said fire chief Dave Miller.
Miller said the sisters were among 30 or 40 people watching the display from about 150 yards from the launch site, and that all was going as planned until the finale, around midnight.
Miller, who was about 100 feet away from the launch site, said it was clear to him something had gone wrong because fireworks were going off at ground level.
“That was the longest 10 to 15 seconds -- it felt like a half-hour,” the chief said. “It happened so fast ... It looked like something fell over.”
He said it was not clear how the women were injured.
Although accidents involving professional fireworks displays are rare, an ambulance is always standing by as a precaution, Miller said.
He said EMTs responded quickly and took one of the women to the hospital. Her sister was taken to the hospital by a second ambulance responding to the scene, the chief said.
A GoFundMe fundraising effort for the sisters was started by Leona Pfeiffer, who works with Karen Maytorenas at Sitka Counseling. The website at press time today showed that over $6,100 toward the $10,000 goal had been collected in donations from 79 community members. Donations in cash and Alaska Airlines miles are being accepted, she said.
Karen Maytorenas is a 2017 graduate of Sitka High School and her sister Michelle just finished her sophomore year at Sitka High.
Pfeiffer said other fundraisers are in the works. She said both of the young women grew up in Sitka, and while she does not know Michelle well, she said Karen is “the sweetest girl. She is so good with all the child clients here.”
A professional fireworks display has been a Sitka Fourth of July tradition for many years. Originally sponsored by Sheldon Jackson College, the fireworks display was taken over by Petro Marine in more recent years. After Petro announced that it would not sponsor the fireworks display this year because of coronavirus concerns, individual and business contributions raised the $19,000 cost to stage the pyrotechnic show.
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20 YEARS AGO
April 2004
Photo caption: Sen. Lisa Murkowski talks with students in Karoline Bekeris’ fourth-grade class Thursday at the Westmark Shee Atika. From left are Murkowski, Kelsey Boussom, Laura Quinn and Memito Diaz.
50 YEARS AGO
April 1974
A medley of songs from “Jesus Christ Superstar” will highlight the morning worship service on Palm Sunday at the United Methodist Church. Musicians will be Paige Garwood and Karl Hartman on guitars; Dan Goodness on organ; and Gayle Erickson on drums.
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