Johnsburg man dies from fireworks blast

A Johnsburg man who shot off a large firework around midnight New Year's Day, died from its explosion, authorities said.

Robert Freund, 31, lit the device in the front yard of his home and its blast caused substantial head and chest trauma, said McHenry County Deputy Coroner Robert Locke.

In the 15 years Locke has been on the job, nobody else in the county has ever died from a fireworks explosion, he said.

Johnsburg police and the McHenry Township Fire Protection District were sent to Freund's home at 12:02 a.m. and arrived at 12:07 a.m., Locke said.

He was pronounced dead on the scene at 12:07 a.m., Locke said.

Freund's autopsy was completed 11 a.m. Saturday and the results of his toxicology test should be ready within four to six weeks. The test will determine whether Freund had been abusing alcohol or drugs at the time of the accident, Locke said.

The events leading up to his death remain under investigation and Locke said there were other people at Freund's house at the time of the accident.

The Cook County Bomb Squad is investigating the nature of the explosive that led to Freund's death. Locke declined to say whether the bomb squad found other fireworks. A spokesman from the Cook County Sheriff's Department could not be reached Saturday.

Funeral arrangements are pending.