Firecrackers injure 61 so far

MANILA, Philippines – A total of 61 individuals were injured by firecracker blasts from Dec. 21 to 25, while two were hit by stray bullets across the country, the Department of Health (DOH) said yesterday.

A 44-year-old woman from Bulacan became the first fatality in this year’s Yuletide revelry when she killed herself by ingesting piccolo, a banned firecracker.

Reports reaching the DOH’s “Kampanya Kontra Paputok” registry showed the woman had ingested 64 sticks of piccolo which is believed to contain yellow phosphorous, the same toxic substance found in watusi (dancing pyrotechnic).

The DOH said there were two other cases of piccolo poisoning. One involved a 17-year-old female from Quezon City who accidentally drank a glass of water containing piccolo powder, while the other was a four-year-old boy from Nueva Ecija who intentionally ingested two sticks of piccolo.

All these fireworks-related injuries totaled 66 cases, which is 16 percent higher than the number of cases recorded during the same period last year.

According to Dr. Eric Tayag, director of the DOH’s National Epidemiology Center, nine of the 61 blast cases sustained eye injuries while three suffered amputation of limbs.

The registry showed that 79 percent of the 61 cases were caused by illegal fireworks, with piccolo accounting for 24.

“Twelve of the cases were under the influence of alcohol. Thirty-two of the injuries occurred in the street. No death was reported,” the registry further showed.

One of the stray bullet injuries monitored by the DOH, on the other hand, involved a 14-year-old male who was hit on the right hand at the back of a church in Manila.

The other victim was a 21-year-old woman from Quezon City who was hit on the left hand, resulting in the amputation of the tip of her ring finger.

Both cases occurred on Christmas Eve.