TICONDEROGA — The fireworks technician injured when three aerial shells exploded near him at Ticonderoga’s Fourth of July show is out of the hospital.

John M. Michalak, 42, of Argyle had a deep laceration to his right leg, along with minor burns, cuts and scrapes.

He was hospitalized at Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington but has been released and is recovering, the president of the company that was putting on the show said Tuesday.

Bay Fireworks President Charles Rappa said the Farmingdale-based firm has never had anything like that happen before.

“We followed stringent safety guidelines there, as we do across the nation. We followed the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) code and all safety guidelines. We had an anomaly.”

POLICE PROBE

More than 2,000 people were watching the fireworks show Friday night when a chain-reaction blast of three six-inch aerial shells blew apart launch tubes, knocking over another tube, which discharged into the crowd.

Three spectators, along with Michalak and another fireworks technician, were injured when Michalak lit a fuse on the first aerial shell that exploded. The others were either treated and released at Moses-Ludington Hospital or declined care.

Ticonderoga Town Police are conducting an investigation into the mishap, but Investigator Daniel LaFrance said he hasn’t yet determined why the shell’s display charge exploded on the ground.

IN TI MANY YEARS

An aerial fireworks shell has two black-powder charges: a lift charge to propel it up 100 feet or higher, and a display charge that includes chemicals to give it colors or special effects.

Rappa said Bay Fireworks has been doing Ticonderoga’s Best Fourth in the North fireworks show for more than two decades.

“They’re one of our oldest and dearest clients. We look forward to being back there next year.”