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California man picks up explosive device on a beach during July 4 cleanup, loses hand
By James Cirrone
Published July 10, 2026
A man lost his hand when an explosive device detonated as he was cleaning up Fourth of July fireworks debris on a beach in Northern California.
On Sunday, Jason Turner and his girlfriend, Pamala, were walking along Point St. George Beach in Del Norte County intending to pick up trash, according to a GoFundMe set up by his daughter Ashley Turner.
According to the online fundraiser, Turner picked up a "a bomb-like device that unexpectedly went off."
An undated photo of Jason Turner, the man who lost his hand on Sunday after picking up an unknown explosive device on Point St. George Beach in Del Norte County, California. (GoFundMe)
Pamala told CBS News Sacramento that she used her shirt as a tourniquet to stop Turner's bleeding before first responders arrived.
The Del Norte County Sheriff's Office said in a statement on social media that their deputies responded to reports of an explosion at the beach. When they arrived, they found Turner in the parking lot with a "significant injury to his hand."
Ashley Turner said her father had to have his hand amputated and is waiting to undergo more surgeries. He is also dealing with vision and hearing loss as a result of the explosion, according to the GoFundMe.
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"My dad will be going into additional surgeries for his eyes. He has metal fragments stuck in his eyes," Ashley Turner wrote in a Wednesday update. "His right ear drum is blown and he has no hearing out of it."
An undated photo of Jason Turner driving an excavator. Turner lost his hand on Sunday after picking up an unknown explosive device on Point St. George Beach in Del Norte County, California. (GoFundMe)
The fundraiser also explained that Turner is the sole provider for his family of seven, and two of his children are still in school.
As of Friday afternoon, nearly $100,000 has been raised to help with Turner's ongoing medical costs. His daughter said his injuries may be permanent.
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The Del Norte County Sheriff's Office searched the beach and launched an investigation into what caused the explosion.
Outcrop of St. George formation sedimentary rock, as part of a sea cliff at Point St. George (Grigory Heaton)
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"If you find a suspected explosive device do not touch it. Move away to a safe distance and immediately contact law-enforcement," the sheriff's office said.
Fox News Digital reached out to the sheriff's office for comment.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/california-man-picks-up-explosive-device-beach-july-4-cleanup-loses-hand