Cape Town - Several children hurt by fireworks during Guy Fawkes celebrations were to undergo surgery for their injuries on Tuesday. Red Cross Children Hospital’s spokeswoman Lauren O’Connor May confirmed that three children were admitted with firework-related injuries.
The names of the children were not released.
“We admitted a nine-year-old with a severe injury to his right hand.
He has a fracture and will require surgery later on Tuesday.
Then there is an 11-year-old with a lesser injury, also to his hand. He will not require surgery. Finally, we admitted another nine-year-old with an injury to his mouth,” she said.
It is understood that the latter injury happened when the child put an unexploded cracker in his mouth. Doctors were to assess his condition later on Tuesday.
Tygerberg Hospital also admitted three children with firework-related injures.
They have been identified as Heinrich Jacobs, 11, of Somerset West; Nakiem February, 13, of Delft and Desline Lillistone, 11, of Elsies River.
Tygerberg Hospital spokeswoman Laticia Pienaar said one of the three children was scheduled for surgery on Tuesday.
Theo Layne of the city’s Fire and Rescue services said he knew of three injuries at designated firework areas.
One of the injured children, 15-year-old Dylan White, was admitted to Milnerton Mediclinic after he was injured by an explosion on Table View Beach, said the hospital’s spokeswoman, Marize Botha.
Dylan is still in hospital, and he will be assessed to ascertain whether surgery is required.
Callers to radio talk shows complained that children were seen running around with fireworks and that authorities were not effectively regulating this.
Layne, however, said that Fire and Rescue, along with metro police, Law Enforcement and traffic officials, handled the crowds “impeccably” on Monday night.
“When you look at the sheer [number] of people and compare it to the number of injuries reported, I think that we can fairly say that last night (Monday night) was a success from a crowd management, law enforcement and safety point of view,” he said.
“It is inevitable that individuals in such large groups of people will at times act irresponsibly, even with authorities close by.
“There were instances of crackers being discharged between people, but in general I feel that we fulfilled our mandate.”
JP Smith, mayoral committee member for safety and security, said the city had effectively communicated safety tips and the details of the designated areas, adding that injuries are an annual “inevitability”.
Meanwhile, the city has confirmed that it confiscated about a ton of illegal fireworks in the run-up to Guy Fawkes Day.
“The Informal Trading Unit confiscated approximately a ton of fireworks from traders at traffic intersections and from persons selling at designated fireworks discharge locations along the False Bay coast,” said Shaun Smith, assistant chief at the city’s Law Enforcement Services.
“This is much more than last year, and we consider it to be the product and proof of a more concerted effort by our services in 2012,” said Smith.
- Cape Argus/IOL
When are they ever going to ban fireworks - so much distress and injury to amuse us humans for a few minutes - time everyone grew up
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