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.
Shrapnel in fireworks? I don’t think so.
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!
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.
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.
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.
Flash powder is not complicated, I have heard.
M-80 contains about 3.5 grams of flash powder.
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.
It blowed up real bad.
Now he’ll only be able to count to 5.
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.
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.
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.
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...
As well as his new name, Lefty.
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.”
Stupid prize won. A round of applause... Err. No wait....
More like a pipe bomb
Illegal fireworks do not contain shrapnel, bits of paper sure. Cuts on face and ears bleeding
Lots come from Nevada and New mexico
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