Firecracker injuries rise to 142 ahead of New Year

MANILA, Philippines — As the New Year celebration approaches, the number of fireworks-related injuries (FWRI) nationwide rose to 142.

The Department of Health (DOH) said an additional 17 cases pushed to 142 the total FWRIs recorded from Dec. 22 to 29.

The DOH said the current total number of cases is 35 percent higher than the 105 cases posted during the same period last year.

Of the total cases, the DOH said 115 are 19 years old and below, while 27 are 20 years old and above.

Males accounted for 127 of the total cases, while the remaining 15 are females.

A high of 73 percent, or 104 of those cases, were caused by illegal firecrackers such as boga, five-star and piccolo.

The DOH further noted that 60 percent of the FWRI victims were the ones actively using the fireworks.

As this developed, the DOH-Ilocos Region office asked the public to refrain from using boga, which is now the leading cause of FWRIs.

Dr. Paula Paz Sydiongco, DOH Ilocos Region director, said they have monitored the rising trend of FWRIs in the region, particularly in Pangasinan.

Syndiongco said almost half of the 31 FWRIs recorded in Ilocos from Dec. 21 to 25 were caused by boga.

Other causes of FWRI are five-star with five (16.1 percent); baby rocket with two (6.5 percent); whistle bomb, two (6.5 percent); kwitis or sky rocket, one (3.2 percent); fountain, one (3.2 percent) and others with six (19.4 percent).

Sydiongco said 20 patients suffered blast or burn injuries, while nine suffered eye injuries.

She said three cases were admitted, while 21 cases were treated in health facilities and eventually sent home. No deaths were reported.

In the Cordillera region, two more FWRIs were reported, bringing the total number of cases in the highland region to 10.

The two new cases are from Abra and Apayao. Baguio City still has the highest number of recorded cases with four, while Kalinga and Mountain Province have two cases each.

The victims’ ages ranged between four to 17. Of the 10 cases, nine are males and one is female.

Four cases sustained eye injuries, five had blast or burn injuries without amputation, and one case of blast or burn injury with amputation.

Illegal firecrackers

Meanwhile, some 16,280 different kinds of fireworks were destroyed on Friday at the Pampanga Police Provincial Office (PPPO) headquarters in San Fernando City, Pampanga.

Col. Jay Dimaandal, PPPO director, said the destroyed illegal firecrackers were confiscated during a week-long police operation.

Dimaandal led the fireworks destruction, with the cooperation of the Bureau of Fire Protection and the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.

He said the seized illegal fireworks included 2,070 piccolos, 1,280 five-stars, 300 poppops and 603 improvised boga cannons.

Dimaandal emphasized the importance of the campaign against illegal firecrackers to prevent firecracker-related incidents and to promote a safe holiday celebration.

“We strongly urge the public to follow the law and use only authorized firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices and together, we can celebrate the coming New Year.” he said. — Artemio Dumlao, Ric Sapnu