The wild celebration of the Christmas and New Year in Cebu sent 71 persons to hospitals, including two victims of stray bullets.
This was an increase from 55 firecracker injuries last year. But there were fewer stray bullet injuries which decreased from eight cases last year to two this year.
In Lapu-Lapu City, a 36-year-old man from Lapu-Lapu City was confined in the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center after he was hit in the shoulder by a stray bullet last Dec. 31.
Earlier, an 85-year-old man from Guadalupe, Cebu City was treated for a graze wound on his right foot from a stray bullet on Dec. 25.
For the period of Dec. 23, 2012 to Jan. 2, 2013, firecracker explosions injured around 76 victims in Central Visayas, 69 of which are from Cebu, according to Dept. of Health 7 Assistant Regional Director Lakshmi Legaspi.
Injuries
Dennis Sabayton, 37 of sitio Lakaron, barangay Pitalo, San Fernando town in southern Cebu lost all the fingers in his left hand in a firecracker blast.
He came from a drinking spree with friends, said PO1 Edgar Enclonar of the San Fernando police.
One of Sabayton’s neighbors, Desiree Borrinaga who was standing nearby, also sustained minor injuries when the firecracker exploded.
In barangay Butong, Pinamungahan Cebu, an 11-year-old boy severely injured his left hand when he picked up an unexploded firecracker around 6 a.m. Tuesday.
Prince Dionisio Bungos, 18, cut his right hand when a “whistle bomb” exploded in his hand before he could throw it in barangay Cuanos, Minglanilla past 12 midnight of Jan. 1.
In barangay Tubod, Sibonga town, a 39-year-old man was injured after a firecracker suddenly went off in his right hand.
Mario Lugagay, sustained cut wounds in his right hand. /Reports from Correspondents Joy Cherry Quito and Jhunnex Napallacan