THE APEX TIMES
Pulaski County coroner identifies Manchester-area 4-year-old who died after July 4 fireworks accident
Rhett Luttrell was pronounced dead at a hospital after an incident involving a tilted canister of fireworks around 10 p.m. July 4, according to the Pulaski County Coroner’s Office. Wayne High School said counseling would be provided during the grieving process.
Pulaski County Coroner Clyde Strunk identified a 4-year-old child who died after being injured in a fireworks accident on July 4, according to a report from WKYT. Strunk’s office said the boy was hurt when a tilted canister of fireworks struck him in the torso area while his family was shooting off fireworks.
The coroner’s office said the incident occurred at about 10 p.m. on Saturday, July 4. The child, identified as Rhett Luttrell, was taken to a hospital and was pronounced dead there, Strunk said.
The WKYT report describes Luttrell as being from Manchester. Coroner’s office language in the same report also references Somerset, indicating the family may live in or near the Somerset-Manchester area; the coroner did not dispute either location in the account published by WKYT.
A statement from Wayne High School superintendent Todd Alexander said the school would provide counseling for students as the community processes the death. The statement, cited by WKYT, tied the added support to the grieving process at the school during the coming days.
The coroner’s office did not indicate in the report what specific fireworks product was involved, whether any other people were injured, or whether investigators have filed any charges. The report also did not provide details on whether the fireworks were legal or operated under any specific local rules beyond describing the canister tilting and striking the child.
As families and schools respond, local officials typically emphasize that fireworks injuries can occur even in seemingly routine celebrations, particularly when fireworks are handled outdoors and around children. In this case, the official next steps beyond the coroner’s determination were not described in the WKYT report.
Why It Matters
- The death occurred during a July 4 holiday timeframe, a period when firework use rises and safety risks increase for children and families.
- The coroner’s finding establishes the cause of death in the immediate sense, and it provides a timeline for any subsequent public safety review or local enforcement actions.
- Wayne High School’s decision to add counseling highlights the broader community impacts beyond the immediate family.
- Uncertainty in the reporting about whether the child was from Manchester or Somerset may affect how community members identify the affected family and where memorial support is organized.
Key Facts
- Pulaski County Coroner Clyde Strunk’s office identified a 4-year-old who died after a July 4 fireworks accident.
- The child was identified as Rhett Luttrell.
- The coroner’s office said the accident occurred at about 10 p.m. on Saturday, July 4.
- The reported injury involved a tilted canister of fireworks striking Luttrell in the torso area.
- The coroner’s office said Luttrell was pronounced dead at the hospital.
- WKYT reported Luttrell was from the Manchester area, while the same report also references Somerset.
- Wayne High School superintendent Todd Alexander said counseling would be provided at the school during the grieving process.