Illegal fireworks in Berkeley Thursday night injured two teens, sending one to the hospital with major injuries to their hand.
Surveillance video captured the moment after a firework exploded in one of the teen’s hands during Fourth of July celebrations near the corner of Harper and Fairview streets.
A resident who did not want to be identified said a group of about 30 teens started setting off fireworks nearly an hour before the injury.
In the video, people could be heard screaming as one teen was seen shaking his hand after the blast. Video showed another teen holding his face as the group screamed for help.
A witness said it appears the firework didn’t work after they lit it. That’s when, they said, the teen grabbed it and it blew up in his hand. He later collapsed by a nearby home.
Neighbors said the teen was a high school football player. Berkeley police said he went to the hospital with significant injuries to his hand. Another teen suffered minor injuries from being close to the firework when it exploded but was not transported.
UCSF Dr. Peter Chin-Hong said firework injuries can range from burns to nerve damage or worse.
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"People have lost fingers, people have lost the whole hand, people have just had local burns," he said. "People have had injuries that extend beyond the hands to multiple parts of the body."
He said any injuries are tragic reminders of the dangers of illegal fireworks.
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"I know people want to celebrate, but I would be very, very careful, particularly with these kinds of injuries that may be irreversible and might have an impact on the rest of your life," he said.
