Fort Lauderdale, FL – Authorities say two men have died and a 15-year-old boy lost several fingers in separate incidents while setting off fireworks in South Florida.
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Pompano Beach Fire Rescue spokeswoman Sandra King says a 31-year-old man placed a PVC pipe partially in the ground as he was set off fireworks in an apartment complex parking lot around 10 p.m. Thursday.
King says the man put a 3-inch (7-centimeter) mortar shell inside, lit it and the device exploded before he moved away. He suffered massive injuries to his neck, shoulder and head. He died at a hospital a short time later.
The Sun Sentinel reports a 32-year-old man was killed just before midnight in nearby Fort Lauderdale when a roman candle exploded in his hand. King says the teen could lose his right hand after lighting a roman candle.
Every July 4th, including the weeks leading up to the holiday, and the weeks afterwards, thousands of Americans are injured, including losing their fingers, eye sight, and even their lives, because of their messing around with fireworks. Individual ownership of fireworks should be banned, and only regulated, licensed, fireworks dealers should be allowed to sell them to municipalities for use in exhibitions. Unfortunately, the fireworks manufacturers have a very strong lobby, and hence, Congress will do bupkis about this problem.