CEBU CITY – Two deaths marred the New Year celebration in Cebu after a 23-year-old man and a 10-year-old boy died in separate fireworks-related incidents.

In Barangay San Roque, Asturias town, Cyril John Amarillo Remis died after a firecracker exploded in his face past midnight on Wednesday, Jan. 1.

As part of the New Year revelry, Remis and his neighbors started lighting “bombshell,” a firecracker known to explode in the air.

Remis thought that all firecrackers had exploded and approached the base of the device to check what was left of the lighted firecrackers.

It turned out there was a firecracker that remained intact and only exploded while Remis was standing close to it.

Remis slumped on the concrete pavement after the explosion. He was brought to a hospital where he was declared dead on arrival.

In Barangay Candulawan, a 10-year-old boy died after he struck a firecracker called “Goodbye Philippines” with a stone. The incident happened around 1 a.m.

Police said the boy and his three friends collected used firecrackers or those that had been lit but did not explode.

The four boys covered the firecracker with tiles and stones. The boy took a rock and slammed it on the firecracker covered with tiles. 

Police said as the firecrackers exploded, the tiles flew. Police said a tile hit the boy in the chest that pierced through his heart.

The three other boys  suffered injuries in different parts of their bodies.

Barangay Candulawan Captain Josefina Concial said the explosion was so loud that they thought it was a transformer from an electric post that exploded.