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Man Recovering After Losing Hand to Illegal Firework in Salinas
KSBW ^ | Jul 3, 2024 | Felix Cortez

Posted on 07/04/2024 2:25:47 PM PDT by nickcarraway

A Salinas man is recovering in a Bay Area hospital after he lost a hand from an illegal firework.

It was Monday night when firefighters responded to the intersection of Boronda and Independence in north Salinas on reports of a man screaming and trying to flag down drivers.

“When our fire department, paramedics and police arrived at the scene, they did encounter the male with the extensive injuries to his hand and his face, obviously suffering from a severe explosive injury,” said Salinas fire Chief Sam Klemek.

Firefighters say the man, believed to be homeless, blew off his right hand with an illegal firework. He also had cuts on his face and stomach from shrapnel and was bleeding from both ears.

The man was in shock and could only tell firefighters, "bad fireworks." Firefighters say the incident is a tragic reminder of the dangers of using illegal fireworks.

“This person will forever bear the scars of his choice to engage in using illegal fireworks. It's sad, but it also should be a reminder to everybody of the consequences of this kind of activity which you subject yourself to. He'll live with this for the rest of his life,” Klemek said.

An investigation is now underway involving Salinas police and fire to try and determine where the man obtained the illegal fireworks.

“We'll continue to try to get more information from the victim as he's able to recall or willing to share. He undoubtedly is going to have a long road to recovery, but we'll be persistent in trying to get the information we're looking for,” Klemek said.

Thursday night, law enforcement and firefighters will be on high alert, cracking down on those using illegal fireworks or Safe and Sane fireworks where they’re prohibited.

“There will be dozens of eyes on the streets, patrolling, recording, documenting use of illegal fireworks. So when those tickets go out, there will be with the evidence to back it up,” Klemek said.


TOPICS: Heated Discussion
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To: nickcarraway

Shrapnel in fireworks? I don’t think so.


21 posted on 07/04/2024 2:57:49 PM PDT by unclejohncornbread (Unclejohn)
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To: nickcarraway

We saw films in school on the dangers of fireworks back in 1953! I actually saw what two m-80s could do to stacked concrete blocks.

I have worked in dangerous jobs. Almost lot a couple of fingers but at age 77 I still have ten fingers and toes!


22 posted on 07/04/2024 2:59:42 PM PDT by Ruy Dias de Bivar ( Government is not reason, it is not eloquence-it is force!--G. Washington)
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To: nickcarraway

I am genuinely curious; are m-80 type powerful firecrackers available for purchase anywhere legally? Other countries? I’m not talking about lawless places that trade bootleg military weapons in street bazaars, just plain old old fashioned m-80 type fireworks, like the ones I recall my Dad talking about in the 1950s, maybe early 1960s? As I recall, those would remove fingers (and did occasionally), and mailboxes etc. I believe they were sold in the US or parts of it legally, some years ago.


23 posted on 07/04/2024 3:01:54 PM PDT by desertsolitaire (Perhaps the Great Ape Lawgiver in the series Planet of the Apes was correct in his view of humans?)
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To: desertsolitaire

One of my friends brought a bunch of M-80s back from Nebraska in about 1968. I have no idea if they’re still sold legally anywhere in the U.S.


24 posted on 07/04/2024 3:06:54 PM PDT by HartleyMBaldwin
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To: desertsolitaire

are m-80 type powerful firecrackers available for purchase anywhere legally?
= = =

One day, I saw this red cylinder with a green fuze, marked “m-80”.

Someone lit it, and threw it, and it made some wimpy pop.

And a couple more did the same.

I think I have never seen a real M-80.


25 posted on 07/04/2024 3:10:52 PM PDT by Scrambler Bob (Running Rampant, and not endorsing nonsense; My pronoun is EXIT. And I am generally full of /S)
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To: desertsolitaire

Flash powder is not complicated, I have heard.

M-80 contains about 3.5 grams of flash powder.


26 posted on 07/04/2024 3:11:58 PM PDT by dadgum (“”)
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To: desertsolitaire

m-80s, silver salutes, and cherry bombs, all a lot of fun when I was younger. As far as m-80s being powerful, there were also M-1000s that had a lot more pop. Don’t know if any of them are available anymore.


27 posted on 07/04/2024 3:19:16 PM PDT by crosdaddy
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To: dadgum

It blowed up real bad.


28 posted on 07/04/2024 3:22:58 PM PDT by bgill (.)
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To: nickcarraway

Now he’ll only be able to count to 5.


29 posted on 07/04/2024 3:25:32 PM PDT by Track9 (If you want to know about human nature, read a power tool user manual. )
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To: nickcarraway
Fireworks are more dangerous than firearms.......

Local ABC weatherman, Dave Rexroth, lost an eye to fireworks a few years ago.......

Considering that idiots are shooting them off in neighborhoods around me, late at night and days before July 4th, I see nothing of redeeming value to fireworks and would have no problem of them being banned.

30 posted on 07/04/2024 3:26:00 PM PDT by Hot Tabasco
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To: Coleus
#17: "very sad, prayers, this will ruin his life."

I'm glad you remembered prayers for the man.

Now he's has a meal ticket for life. The state of California will sign him up for a myriad of state programs and subsides—you name it. This dude hit the lottery.

31 posted on 07/04/2024 3:45:21 PM PDT by Governor Dinwiddie (LORD, grant thy people grace to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil.)
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To: desertsolitaire
When I was a boy, M80s were rather ubiquitous. They were said to equal one-fourth stick of dynamite. They had waterproof fuses, so we could throw them in the creek and they'd make a big splash along with the explosion. Definitely the most fun. Cherry bombs were similar, but seemed rare compared to M80s.

32 posted on 07/04/2024 3:49:32 PM PDT by Governor Dinwiddie (LORD, grant thy people grace to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil.)
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To: Coleus

My son is an operating room imaging tech at a big metropolitan hospital. He says two hand surgeons are always in the hospital on New Year’s Eve and the 4th of July. He often gets called in for emergency surgeries on those holidays. Pretty gruesome, he says ... right up there with motorcycle accidents.


33 posted on 07/04/2024 3:52:29 PM PDT by RightField (It)
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To: Governor Dinwiddie

When I was a kid every year we had boxes of cherry bombs, M80s etc. Our neighbors were from Mexico and would always bring us goody boxes when they got back from visiting their relatives...Great fun...


34 posted on 07/04/2024 3:55:06 PM PDT by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
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To: nickcarraway

35 posted on 07/04/2024 3:58:35 PM PDT by Manic_Episode (A government of the government, by the government, for the government)
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To: nickcarraway
He'll live with this for the rest of his life...

As well as his new name, Lefty.

36 posted on 07/04/2024 4:01:04 PM PDT by Drew68
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To: Vendome

He should have consulted the book of armaments.

And the Lord spake, saying, “First shalt thou take out the Holy Pin. Then, shalt thou count to three. No more. No less. Three shalt be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shalt be three. Four shalt thou not count, nor either count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three. Five is right out. Once the number three, being the third number, be reached, then lobbest thou thy Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch towards thy foe, who, being naughty in My sight, shall snuff it.”


37 posted on 07/04/2024 4:25:03 PM PDT by xp38
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To: nickcarraway

Stupid prize won. A round of applause... Err. No wait....


38 posted on 07/04/2024 4:39:18 PM PDT by Organic Panic (Democrats. Memories as short as Joe Biden's eyes)
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To: nickcarraway

More like a pipe bomb
Illegal fireworks do not contain shrapnel, bits of paper sure. Cuts on face and ears bleeding


39 posted on 07/04/2024 4:51:27 PM PDT by markman46 (engage brain before using keyboard!!!)
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To: dragnet2

Lots come from Nevada and New mexico


40 posted on 07/04/2024 4:52:53 PM PDT by markman46 (engage brain before using keyboard!!!)
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