CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – Five persons, including three children, were injured in five firecracker-related incidents in Central Luzon before New Year’s Eve, the Police Regional Office-3 reported on Sunday, December 31.
In Bulakan, Bulacan, a man sustained burns on his legs, chest, and foot when he tested Whistle Bomb firecrackers while having a drinking spree with his neighbor on December 30.
A 41-year-old man had burns in his left hand when he lit Kwitis firecrackers in front of his house in Malolos, City, Bulacan on December 21.
In Bacolor, Pampanga, a 10-year old boy sustained minor injuries in his left hand and eyebrows after picking up Kwitis in a pile of trash at the back of the house of their neighbor on December 26.
Two children were injured in their eyes due to "boga" or improvised cannon in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija and Masinloc, Zambales, respectively, on December 23.
The nine-year old victim from Cabanatuan City was accidentally hit by his friend while the 12-year-old from Masinloc was playing it when it accidentally exploded on his face.
As the New Year approached on December 31, PRO-3 Director Police Brig. Gen. Jose R. Hidalgo Jr. urged the public to prioritize safety at all times. "We want to welcome 2024 full of joys and hopes and most especially healthy, safe, and sound," he said.