Two suffer serious facial injuries in fireworks explosion

Two people suffered serious injuries when fireworks were detonated near a football cage in Den Bosch. Police said a mortar grenade exploded in their faces.

"Then, with heavily bloodied faces, they finally managed to reach a home in the area and rang the doorbell. The residents were severely shocked and subsequently alerted 1-1-2," police said.

The two male victims are 32 years of age. One is from Berlicum, and the other is from Den Bosch. Both had facial injuries, and were taken to the Eye Hospital in Rotterdam, where they were to undergo an operation on Tuesday.

One of the men lost an eye, police said.

The explosion was first reported to authorities at about 11:05 p.m. on Monday, records show. Several ambulances were dispatched to the Zesde Haren in the Noord-Brabant city. A trauma team in a helicopter arrived near the scene about 20 minutes after the blast was reported.

Police searched the home of the Den Bosch man after the trauma was handled, and found several mortar shells and Cobra style heavy fireworks. The Berlicum man's home was also searched, where more heavy fireworks were discovered.

Local residents told the newspaper that fireworks use has not been much of a nuisance this year compared to previous years.