Arlee man killed in Hamilton fireworks explosion

HAMILTON—The Fourth of July weekend ended tragically for a 22-year-old Arlee man who was killed when a fireworks shell exploded while he was cleaning the launcher it was in following the fireworks show Monday night at the Ravalli County fairgrounds in Hamilton.

Brian Bachmeier was killed shortly before midnight when one of the fireworks, which was supposed to have been shot off as part of the show, exploded while he and a co-worker were attempting to clean the launching device after the show, according to Ravalli County undersheriff Kevin McConnell.

"It is believed that he was cleaning one of the devices used to launch fireworks when the device exploded," McConnell said.

A woman working with Bachmeier was injured during the explosion, and was taken to a local hospital and later released. Because emergency personnel didn't know whether any other live fireworks were still in the launcher, the Missoula County bomb squad was called in to secure the area, McConnell said.

"We really didn't know what we had as far as unexploded pyrotechnics. We needed to make sure it was safe for responders," McConnell explained.

The Missoula bomb squad assisted the Hamilton Police Dept. and Ravalli County Sheriff's office in the investigation, McConnell said, which is still ongoing. The state fire marshal will also participate in the investigation, he said.

Bachmeier was one of a group of Arlee-area folks who traveled to Hamilton to assist with the fireworks show, according to his father, Richard Bachmeier. Bachmeier was an outstanding athlete at Arlee High School, where his father works, and was in his second year of a five-year pharmacy program at the University of Montana.

"He was an avid sports fan, he liked hunting, and he adored his family," Richard Bachmeier said.

Bachmeier excelled at football, basketball and track, and was named to numerous All-State teams in several different sports throughout his high school career. He also was named Most Valuable Player by his peers on many occasions.

There will be a rosary ceremony at 7 p.m. Thursday night, July 7, at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Arlee, followed by a funeral at 10 a.m. Friday morning at the church. The family is considering setting up a memorial fund in Bachmeier's name, and more information will be provided once the fund is set up.

A full obituary will appear in next week's paper.