An ice hockey player from the Columbus Blue Jackets team was killed when a backdoor firework hit him in the chest at a July 4 party, report local police.

Matiss Kivlenieks, a goalie for Columbus Blue Jackets, died of chest trauma Sunday night in Novi – a suburb north of Detroit.

The 24-year-old goalie was in a hot tub and tried to break free with several others after the fireworks flared and turned in their direction, stated Lieutenant Jason Meier.

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At first, he was believed to have slipped and hit his head while fleeing, but preliminary results from an autopsy on Monday revealed that a chest injury was to blame.

“At the moment, we’re pretty certain this was a tragic accident,” said Lt Meier.

He said it was a “large gathering” at the property and officers were trying to interview as many people as possible.

Kivlenieks, from Latvia, was taken to hospital by the emergency teams shortly after 10:00 pm on Sunday but was later pronounced dead.

Jarmo Kekalainen, responsible for the Blue Jackets at Columbus, tweeted:

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“Life is so precious and can be so fragile. Hug your loved ones today. RIP Matiss, you will be dearly missed.”

The club’s hockey operations chairman, John Davidson, said it was a “devastating time”.

“Kivi was an outstanding young man who greeted every day and everyone with a smile and the impact he had during his four years with our organization will not be forgotten,” he said.

A minute of silence was reserved for him prior to the fourth game of the Stanley Cup final in Montreal.

Kivlenieks grabbed by the Blue Jackets in May 2017 and had played eight games, but was seen as an emerging talent and possibly backup goalkeeper next season.

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He also played for his national team and the Latvian Hockey Federation referred to his death as “a great loss not only for Latvian hockey but for the entire Latvian nation”.