POMPANO BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - Three boys have been hospitalized, one of whom lost a hand, after they were playing with fireworks in a South Florida park.
“It’s horrible to think that these three boys are now going to suffer for their lives with these injuries,” said Pompano Beach Fire Rescue spokesperson Sandra King.
The boys, ranging from 8 to 11 years old, were injured Sunday night after playing with fireworks at a Pompano Beach Park.
“One of the boys lost his hand, one of the boys lost a few fingers and one of the boys sustained injuries to his face and chest,” said King.
The case is the latest in a string of firework-related injuries across South Florida.
South Florida resident Elliot Andrews severely injured his own hand the day after the Fourth of July holiday.
“I lost my corner finger, I lost my thumb. One of my friend’s girls picked up my thumb,” said Andrews.
That same week, another man suffered an injury in a South Florida neighborhood.
“His thumb is split open from here to here,” said his neighbor.
A 6-year-old was also injured in front of a home after a firework blew up in his hand. “It was like ‘boom!’ Like a big, big noise,” said a resident.
Another child was hit by stray bullet from a gun fired into the air the day following Independence Day.
“People need to realize that if they’re not using a gun for its intended purpose that the bullet it going to end up somewhere,” said the child’s mother, Braine Staugh.
Officials said the children injured in the Pompano Beach park may have been brothers.
“It’s a horrible, horrible example of why you don’t let children play with fireworks. Fireworks are not toys,” said King.
The condition of the three boys remain unknown.
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