LAFD News - Boy Loses 4 Fingers To Fireworks

LAFD News & Information:

Los Angeles Boy Loses four Fingers To Fireworks

On Tuesday, July 3, 2007 at 9:08 PM, 1 Company of Los Angeles Firefighters and 2 LAFD Rescue Ambulances responded to a Fireworks Injury at 6914 1/2 South Main Street in South Los Angeles.

Firefighters arrived quickly to encounter a 13 year-old male with blast injury and traumatic finger amputation.

The teenager told Firefighters he had seen an adult in his household place a cylindrical firework in a closet and then depart the scene. Mistaking the device as a 'Roman Candle' limited to producing sparks, the boy took the firework outside and lit the fuse.

The high-powered explosion that occurred in the boy's left hand destroyed four of his fingers beyond recovery, but spared him other obvious physical impairment.

Firefighter/Paramedics cleaned and dressed the boy's painful wounds while their colleagues fruitlessly searched the vicinity for remnants of his fingers.

The boy's mother then accompanied him for the fourteen minute ambulance ride to the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Carson, where medical staff awaited his arrival.

It should be noted that all fireworks, even the so-called 'safe and sane' variety are outlawed in the City of Los Angeles. The use, sale or mere possession of any firework within our City has been strictly prohibited since World War II.

Circumstances surrounding the injury and presence of fireworks is being investigated by Los Angeles Police officials.

Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department