By Roger Lanse
Sunday morning, July 5, 2026, a Silver City Fire Department crew was cleaning up the area behind the Grant County Administration Building where the town's July 4th fireworks show was displayed the evening before. According to SCFD personnel, the spent fireworks were gathered, following the show, and placed in water to be disposed of the next morning after they had soaked overnight.
As crew members were picking up the soaked ordinance Sunday morning, a 'spent' mortar suddenly exploded close to SCFD Chief Milo Lambert, injuring him severely. He was rushed to Whiskey Creek Airport where a medical helicopter transported him to an El Paso hospital.
Battalion Chief Preston Johnson, SCFD, told the Beat these mortars are set off electrically and a reason for this explosion is not presently known. Johnson stated Milo suffered “some pretty decent burns.”
