3 children hurt in San Bernardino fireworks accident
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (FOX 11) - A fireworks accident in San Bernardino sent three children to the hospital with serious injuries, authorities said.
Emergency crews responded around 8:40 p.m. to the 2300 block of N. Cedar Street for three boys, ages 8, 9 and 10, who were injured lighting fireworks and igniting aerosol cans. One of the moms says her son "came up the street screaming Mom I'm dying."
A family member told FOX 11 one boy lost his hand and shrapnel struck another child in the face. A third child suffered "superficial injuries," police said.
All three were taken to the hospital for treatment, and two remained hospitalized Wednesday morning.
Myla Burnett's 10-year-old son Jeffrey Jones suffered quite a few lacerations. One of the other boys lost his hand and a few fingers from his other hand.
Lt. Mike Madden says, “In the manner that the aerosols were being used, that would be illegal as would any explosive that had the ability to cause the injuries we saw to those kids.”
Police have an investigation underway and are looking at the possibility of child neglect. Madden says, “8 to 10 years is just a little too young to be unsupervised particularly when 'boys will be boys' and maybe doing things they shouldn’t be doing.”
A stepfather to one of the children injured was being questioned by police. However, charges have not yet been filed.
In unrelated cases, there are nine people who are definitely in trouble for just possessing illegal fireworks. Police showed us a truck filled with about a ton and a half of the stuff that led to nine felony arrests and over 130 misdemeanor citations. Some of those people were caught in the act of firing them.
Meanwhile, back in the neighborhood where the three boys were hurt people we talked with stunned. FOX 11 reporter Hal Eisner showed this woman the pictures of the injured 10-year old...even a couple that were just too ugly to show on TV.
As she looked at each one you could hear her say “Ohhh my god…oh man.”
Meanwhile, Myla Burnett says there's a lesson in all of this, "Fireworks are to be lit by adults only. If someone comes and tells you to light it don't do it. Walk away and go tell your parents."
Police believe there are a lot of those illegal fireworks out there. They’re concerned about the nights for the rest of this week and people using them. Be careful they say… be very careful.
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