Burn centers have treated 26 children with serious fireworks injuries since November
The three burn centers in the Netherlands have already treated 29 people with serious injuries caused by fireworks-related incidents. Out of that total, 26 were children, RTL Nieuws reported.
Both the burn centers in the Red Cross Hospital in Beverwijk and at Maastad Hospital in Rotterdam treated nine children, while the Martini Hospital in Groningen treated eight others. The latter expressed concern about what seems to be an increase in their region. "Previously we only saw these types of burns in December, last year they came in November and this year we saw them in October," a spokesperson for Martini Hospital said.
However, he said there were no indications that the incidents were caused by heavier explosives, but rather the more common fireworks many children are allowed to use, like firecrackers and spinning tops. "For example, we are seeing children who have suffered a burn on the bottom of their foot," the spokesperson told RTL Nieuws. "This was caused by kicking wiith a shoe at a top burning on the ground. That gives a loud bang and is therefore a popular challenge on social media."
RTL Nieuws also noted that there was a warning issued last year calling for people, especially children, to stop stepping on ignited fireworks just because they seem to be innocent and harmless. A victim can suffer third-degree burns if the firecracker explodes and burns through a shoe.
The Rotterdam and Beverwijk hospitals said that the number of patients that they have seen so far this year is similar to previous years. "But, of course, every patient is one too many," a spokesperson for the burn center in Beverwijk said.
