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Teens blow off fingers playing with fireworks in West Palm Beach

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Posted at 7:38 AM, Jul 05, 2022
and last updated 2022-07-05 07:38:54-04

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Two teenagers blew their fingers off while setting off fireworks in West Palm Beach, police said.

The separate incidents took place Monday night during Fourth of July celebrations.

A 13-year-old boy setting off fireworks in the parking lot of a convenience store on Tamarind Avenue "blew some of his fingers off," West Palm Beach police spokesman Mike Jachles said.

The boy lost "two or three fingers" and was taken to St. Mary's Medical Center with injuries that weren't believed to be life-threatening, Jachles said.

In another incident, a 15-year-old boy was playing with fireworks when it ignited, blowing off his thumb and middle finger, Jachles said.

"An officer did find the thumb, transported that to the hospital, and a bystander found the other finger that was blown off," Jachles said.

The teen was driven to the hospital, Jachles said.

"There's a big risk with fireworks and that's why they're not designed for children," Jachles said.

A man lost his hand in a fireworks accident Saturday morning in Lauderdale Lakes.