Fireworks accident leaves one man dead in Haarlem; Teen & toddler hurt in separate cases
An incident involving fireworks left one person dead in Haarlem late on Sunday, the second fatal accident connected to fireworks in two days. Police confirmed that a 19-year-old man died south of the Haarlem city center on Henk van Turnhoutpad. Two minors were also critically injured in separate incidents.
The incident in Haarlem happened at about 11:25 p.m. on New Year's Eve. The victim died from his injuries shortly after the accident despite efforts to revive him. Dispatchers sent several ambulances and firefighters to the scene, and a trauma team was sent to the area by helicopter.
Authorities did not say what exactly happened that led to the man's death. Police cordoned off the area to investigate, and ruled the case to be accidental by 8 a.m.
In the Netherlands, fireworks are allowed to be used between 6 p.m. on New Year's Eve and 2 a.m. on New Year's Day. However, Haarlem had a fireworks ban in place this year. Still, fireworks were used extensively throughout the city during New Year's Eve and early on New Year's Day.
Fireworks explosion hurts teen boy
Police also confirmed that a 17-year-old boy was critically injured when fireworks exploded in his face while they were being lit. It happened on Prinsendaalder in Uden at about 12:20 a.m.
The boy was transported to an area hospital in critical condition with injuries to his face and hands.
Toddler in critical condition after apartment fire
In Den Bosch, police were investigating if fireworks caused a balcony fire on Admiraliteitslaan which critically wounded a two-year-old child. The child was transported from the apartment building to an area hospital, police confirmed.
Firefighters managed to extinguish the blaze, and did not need to evacuate the building.
36-year-old man killed on Saturday
Earlier this weekend, one person was killed and a second person was injured when fireworks exploded while being lit in the garden of a home in Neeritter, Limburg. The victim was identified as a 36-year-old man from the village near the Belgian border.
It was the first fireworks related fatality in just over a year.
