Gaston County boy seriously injured by fireworks

Seven-year-old Lyrik Chastain was standing in his yard when a rocket came hurtling toward him.

"I saw it like coming to my face. That's when I raised my arm up," Lyrik said. The firework exploded, flaying his arm open and causing second-degree burns on his belly and back — "the baddest pain I ever felt," Lyrik said.

Lyrik's father, Jeff Eubanks, had purchased fireworks for the July 4th holiday, and he, Lyrik's mother, Tanya Chastain, and Lyrik had gathered in their yard outside their home in the Dallas area at around 8:45 p.m. Sunday to set them off.

The rocket that hit Lyrik was a Black Cat rocket that was supposed to shoot up in the air, Eubanks said.

It didn't. Instead, it shot to the side, catching Lyrik's shirt on fire and exploding, splitting open the inside part of his arm.

"Thank the good Lord he had the reflexes to to raise his arm up to block his face," Eubanks said. "I guess those karate lessons are paying off a little bit."

Lyrik rode in an ambulance to CaroMont Regional Medical Center, and from there to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, where he was treated in the hospital's burn unit.

Lyrik said that he was scared.

"I really didn't want to go to sleep or anything and let them work on me," he said.

Eubanks also was scared.

"The things that popped in my mind was, are they gonna be able to fix it?" he said.

The doctors were able to help. On Monday, Lyrik's arm and mid-section were bandaged, but he was able to walk outside to visit with firefighters from the Agriculture Center Fire Department, who brought Lyrik two $500 gift cards, part of the Firefighters Burned Children's Fund, a state program that distributes funds to children who have been burned, along with their families. He said, grinning, that he will use the gift cards to buy "a lot of stuff."

Eubanks said that he has no desire to buy fireworks next year to shoot off at home. His family instead will be seeing a professional show.

"It doesn't matter how far back you are," he said. "Things that you don't think can happen can happen."

As for Lyrik, Eubanks said, "he's a champ. He showed me how much strength he had."

Reporter Kara Fohner can be reached at 704-869-1850 or at kfohner@gannett.com. Support local journalism by subscribing here.

This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Gaston County 7-year-old boy seriously injured by Black Cat firework