Man who died in Wichita explosion suspected of mixing chemicals for fireworks: police

The person who died Thursday in an explosion in the detached garage of a southeast Wichita apartment complex may have been mixing chemicals to make illegal homemade fireworks, Wichita police Lt. Aaron Moses said Friday.

“Preliminary investigation suggests that the victim was engaged in mixing an unidentified substance before the explosion, potentially linked to illegal homemade pyrotechnics manufacturing,” Moses said in a news release.

The male was found dead next to a garage by firefighters called at 11:50 a.m. to Cedarbrooke Apartments, 8406 E. Harry St., near Rock Road. No one else was injured.

Police said they are still confirming the victim’s identity and notifying family before releasing his name.

“In response to the incident, additional resources, including detectives, the bomb squad from the Wichita Police Department, Wichita Fire Investigators, and federal investigators from the FBI and ATF, were deployed to the scene,” Moses said.

About half of the five-bay detached garage collapsed from the explosion.