At least three people in South Florida were reported hurt and severely injured from fireworks blast amid their Fourth of July celebration.
On Thursday at approximately 9:50p p.m., near 300 E Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale, an 18-year-old was playing with fireworks when it unexpectedly went off.
The teen suffered burns to parts of his body and was transported by Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue as a precautionary trauma alert to Broward Health Medical Center. The young man had non life threatening injuries and is expected to recover.
Just a few minutes pass 10 p.m., Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue arrived on scene at 481 SE 17th Avenue in Deerfield beach where a teenaged male around the ages of 16 and 19- year-old had a homemade PVC pipe mortar launcher explode in his hands. He had significant injuries to his hand and was also rushed to Broward Health Medical Center as a trauma alert.
Roughly an hour later, first responders were sent to 1941 SW 48th Avenue in West Park where a 16-year-old male had a firecracker go off in his hand. He too was transported to the same hospital as a trauma alert.
Despite fireworks safety reminders that are issued annually, according to data analysis conducted by the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission surrounding the 2023 holiday, teenager ages 15 to 19 years of age had the highest estimated rate of emergency department-treated, fireworks-related injuries, with children ages 5-9 years old following closely behind with the second highest rate.
Roughly 9,700 people were treated at the ER for fireworks injuries in the U.S. in 2023 and a total of eight people died, according to the report.
