UK & World News
- 2 November 2012, 15:47
'Onion Bomb' Firework Explodes In Boys' Faces
A 10-year-old boy has suffered "horrific" facial injuries after a firework blew up in his face.
The boy's mother, who has asked not to be identified, has shared a photograph of her son in a hospital bed in a bid to stop other children being hurt in the same way.
The boy suffered serious burns along with his 11-year-old friend after playing with the firework in the street in Salford, Greater Manchester.
Fire crews were called to Cumbrae Gardens at around midday on Thursday, a spokeswoman for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) said.
He suffered "horrific injuries", the spokeswoman said.
Vicky Stephenson, the mother of the second boy, said: "Dale was outside a shop doing penny for a guy with his mates when I went to the shops.
"Next thing I knew he was ringing me screaming, saying a firework exploded and he'd burnt his face.
"He was hysterical with the pain and they put him on morphine when we got to the hospital. He's lost his hair, eyebrows and eyelashes and got burns on his hands, his skin is peeling off.
"Fireworks should be banned. They need to stop coming into the country because they are just so dangerous."
The firework involved was an Onion Bomb, which is used in professional displays and is not on general sale to the public.
Fire station manager Dave Hughes said: "We were told they were holding an industrial firework, another child lit it and it blew up in their face.
He added: "An incident like this really brings home how dangerous fireworks are and it's heart-breaking for all those involved.
"We need to make sure it doesn't happen to anyone else. We need parents to know where their children are and make sure they are not playing with fireworks.
"There are many organised events taking place in Greater Manchester this weekend. Please enjoy fireworks safely by going to one of them."
An investigation is now under way to find out how the firework ended up in the street.
Geoff Harris, head of protection at GMFRS, said: "We are extremely interested in how this firework ended up in a street where children were able to play with it.
"We need to take action and prevent further fireworks from getting into the wrong hands. They are not on general sale for a very good reason and we do not want anybody else getting injured."
Anyone with information is asked to contact the police or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
what do you think?
Timmy Turtle
Every year children are injured by fireworks. This is a message that needs ramming home in schools and by parents. It is not "cool" to play with these things at all. Permission should sought from the families to use these photographs on warning notices on every packet of fireworks. Its bad enough that shops sell fireworks to kids but how on earth did KIDS get hold of an industrial firework? Imagine if that had gone off in a crowded shopping centre? Aside from burn injuries people would have stampeded for the exits, causing further injuries.
clare e.
I know this is a different story but we should just stop selling them in shops and have them at organised displays only. This way they can still be enjoyed with little to no incidents - I've already heard them going off at 3pm, 1am etc for the last week or more and I can't believe at these times its a responsible adult setting them off!
Sam Cheney
I don't think they should be banned from shops.I don't see why us responsable few should be punished for the sillyness of others.I get my partner to set 1 or 2 of on my brothers aniversary's as thats how he went.He ashes went up in fireworks as that was his wish before he passed.I'd hate to think i couldn't do this anymore because of the irresponsable few and the firework involved in this news story wasn't from a shop.
Diane Rogers
I agree we had fireworks in our back garden every year since our children were small why should we suffer they have never played with them
DermottJoe
not sure these are sstupid kids,more curious.i think its the childrens parents who are responable,industrial fireworks in the hands of children,means there are stupid adults out there either giving them to kids or selling them.no point telling the kids there bad,when adults are sourcing them for the kids.
Alison Whitlock
I agree. Fireworks should be banned. There are too many idiots messing around with them. They also scare the living daylights out of pets. Alison, Bridgend
Sam Cheney
What about kitchen knifes.Should we ban them from shops?considering more people are stabbed then injured by fireworks.The thing is if we ban stuff they will just play with something else thats dangerous that they can get hold of.If these kids didn't know fireworks are dangerous at thier age then thier parents need to be held accountable.
Valerie Wood
yeah but Sammie there is a difference, we need kitchen knives, they have a specific use. We don't need fireworks they have NO use.
Chris Price
Why not go the whole hog and ban bonfire night completly. And while we're at it ban looking at castles. Ban the monarchy. Ban morris dancing. Bonfire night is part of our history. Usually the only people who get hurt at this time of year are the ones who cut corners or who play around with them. Ive been burned by them but it was my fault i used a lighter instead of a safety taper. i shrugged it off and carried on i dont want them banned
Valerie Wood
personally I don't give a monkeys about bonfire night. I find it incredible that people are stupid enough to waste their money on fireworks. Once you've seen a firework that's it. Boring
Diane Rogers
Valerie.it's only a bit of fun part of our history
Sam Cheney
But some people don't find them boring.I don't love them and so did my brother.I love them even more now though.We set them off Dec 5th on a cliff looking down to the beach with the permission of the council.We had 2women moaning and told them to mind thier own buisness as we didnt want a scene caused on day we let him go.
Valerie Wood
It is still a total waste of money and a period of history that to be honest is a non event. If people want to burn their money then that is their affair.
david
EVERY YEAR WEE HAVE IDIOTS GIVEN LETHAL BOMBS TO PLAY WITH AND EVERY YEAR PEOPLE ARE HURT OR KILLED.UNDER 18s CANT BUY THEM BUT THEY GET THEM JUST THE SAME
Mike Anon
I'm no killjoy but putting fireworks (basically explosives) on sale to the general public is a recipe for disaster. Every year both kids & adults suffer injury or are permanently disfigured or in some cases maimed by these potentially dangerous things. Let's have professionally organised displays that we can all enjoy without risk of injury & ban the general sale of fireworks.
chris
The fireworks at shows like the olympics were great, I dont need to see them at any other time thank you. Some adults like to party, drink and have a few whizzbangs. Hey! look at us!.
Diane Rogers
The fireworks we have we never drink not a good combination
DAVE TURNER
Ban fireworks? Dont be daft i do a display every year and have never had a accident because im sensible and keep others at a safe distance. If handled correctly fireworks are fun and can be enjoyed by all.
clare e.
Yet we can ban certain dog breeds as they are dangerous, but your point is the same - if anything is handled correctly its safe. One thing we all know is a LOT of humans can be stupid and don't do things correctly!
movvi
Yes - many would lose out if a blanket ban was introduced. People need to be more careful, for sure.
Karen von Cripps
My son is a pyrotechnician, a professional who does effects for films and has done big firework displays like Trafalgar 2000. He says accidents happen even to professionals. They should be banned from public use as they are in southern Ireland and professional displays only; it wouldn't be a 'money making' on the professionals behalf but a cost saving for people; you would spend £5 getting into a big display and thats a lot less than what you would pay for fireworks at home and a darn sight safer. Its not done because the firework companies are owned by the rich like Kimbolton fireworks is owned by a tory MP and they just want your money!
SagePhotoWorld
Lol... I used to stand not far away from the big displays and watch for nothing. No point in spending money on going in when the rockets go up and are visible for miles.
Jacqui Morrison
I would not like to see them banned completely, as many here say, if Fireworks are used by a responsible adult then there is no need to worry, what I would like though is a ban on them being sold before, say, 4th November as we have a pet dog who is terrified of loud bangs as a result of an experience when he was a puppy, we have had fireworks going off at random times from 2 in the afternoon to midnight every night for the past 2 weeks and this happens every year, this is stressful for the animal and its owner, and also for Parents trying to get their children to sleep. With regard to this story, whatever the means they had of getting hold of this "Onion Bomb" they are certainly paying for it, so instead of calling them stupid, how about wishing them the best, they face a lifetime of pain and surgery and are only 10.
Jacqui Morrison
To the person who gave the thumbs down? i asked for Fireworks to be only on sale immediately before Bonfire night to avoid distress to animals and people, and also avoid the sort of thing this story is about, and to ask for some compassion for the poor little boys whose lives have been ruined. Im sorry you feel this is not a good idea, and hope it never happens to you.
Diane Rogers
Can you imagine the poor shop assistant and if the 4th was a Sunday just because some people can't control their kids
movvi
Nothing outrageous at all in your post, Jacqui! The fireworks do tend to continue off and on for weeks around Bonfire Night and it must be unnerving for the elderly, animals and similar. Tightening up the rules - or just enforcing the ones we have might save a few suffering like the poor chaps in the story.
movvi
It sounds terrible - poor boys. Of course someone is at fault for letting them get hold of an industrial firework. Kids are naturally curious and will sometimes rummage and "find" things they shouldn't. There are pretty stringent laws concerning the sale of fireworks, but unless they are enforced and people are more careful about their storage or who they allow contact with them, then accidents will happen. It's just a shame it has to happen in this way.
SagePhotoWorld
So, is the boy that lit the firework going to be charged with GBH?
stevie may
9:27am on 2/11/2012
Fireworks aren't dangerous if handled by responsible adulterate at organised events. Dont ban fireworks just because of stupid children. Why should all our enjoyment of fireworks be stopped just because of one tragic case?
stevie may
9:28am on 2/11/2012
That should have been the word Adults
Grant Baines
9:39am on 2/11/2012
Your right Stevie but any shop caught selling fireworks to those stupid kids should be held accountable and banned from ever selling them again. How do 11 year old's get hold of industrial fireworks ?
Adj Jackson
10:05am on 2/11/2012
Grant!!! These are not bought in shops these are industrial display fireworks. Has tragic as this is Im sure we will have another inquiry to tell us fireworks are dangerous... We will also have to suffer the usual lets ban them brigade