SCRANTON — Authorities say a man was killed in a fireworks accident in northeastern Pennsylvania over the weekend.

The Lackawanna County coroner said 31-year-old Corey Buckley died in an explosion shortly before 2 p.m. Saturday in Scranton.

Coroner Tim Rowland said Buckley was killed instantly when the commercial-grade firework he was attempting to deploy exploded.

Scranton Police confirm that a man died following a fireworks incident this afternoon. Police say it was reported in the area of Cedar Avenue and Walsh Street around 1:45 p.m. The identity of the victim has not been released yet. pic.twitter.com/cqPbXwkNwE

— Jack Reinhard (@JReinhardTV) June 27, 2020

Scranton police are investigating.

Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti called it “a horrific tragedy” and expressed condolences for the victim’s family and friends.

The death occurred a day after officials cited fireworks as a growing problem after state law in 2017 made more fireworks legal.

The police chief said fireworks aren’t supposed to be set off within 150 feet of an occupied structure, making their use illegal in many of the city’s neighborhoods. A city ordinance also prohibits fireworks on public sidewalks and streets and in city parks.

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