Boy loses 5 fingers to firecrackers

MANILA, Philippines — A four-year-old boy in Central Luzon lost all five fingers on his right hand following a firecracker injury, the Department of Health (DOH) reported yesterday.

The boy also sustained a neck injury.

The DOH expressed concern about how deadly and illegal firecrackers can reach the hands of young children.

“The new cases include the amputation caused by the dart bomb. There have been no additional reports of ingestion thus far,” the DOH noted.

The agency also recorded seven new cases, bringing to 115 the total number of firework-related injuries (FWRI) before the New Year’s Eve celebration.

All eight new cases involved men aged four to 37, with five cases caused by illegal fireworks.

Almost four out of every 10 FWRIs came from the National Capital Region with 44 cases, followed by Central Luzon (13) and Ilocos region (13).

Davao region has only one case so far.

Some FWRI cases were caused by illegal fireworks such as boga, 5-star, piccolo and pla-pla.

The DOH asked the Philippine National Police to intensify the crackdown against illegal fireworks.