‘Dud’ firecrackers kill QC boy

The senseless loss of life and limb continues long after the Big Bang.

An 11-year-old boy was killed while his playmate lost both hands and injured an eye after setting a pile of “dud” firecrackers on fire in Quezon City two days after the New Year’s Eve revelry, police said.

John Kenneth Deniega, a resident of Ilalim Tulay, Camachile, Barangay (village) Balumbato, died of severe head injuries Friday at MCU Hospital in Caloocan City, according to Supt. Michael Macapagal, station commander of the Quezon City Police District’s Talipapa station.

The hands of Deniega’s friend Mar Jayson Gotos had to be amputated as a result of the explosion that rocked Dimaano Compound in Barangay Balumbato around 2:30 p.m. Thursday.

Gotos, 11, also injured his left eye and remained in critical condition at MCU, Macapagal said.

Both boys were Grade 5 pupils at Balumbato Elementary School, he added.

Their case added to the list of New Year firecracker-related mayhem, which authorities said exceeded numbers from last year despite repeated government warnings against the use of firecrackers and promotion of safer noisemakers.

Macapagal said the two children collected “unexploded” firecrackers in the neighborhood and piled them up on a vacant lot inside Dimaano Compound.

But before they could run to a safer distance, the pile suddenly exploded when they tried to ignite it, Macapagal said.

Gotos and Deniega cried for help, alerting neighbors and barangay officials who later brought them to the hospital.

“I asked why no one stopped the boys and the barangay chair said there were no adults around, though there were other children who saw what happened,” Macapagal added.

Originally posted: 4:22 pm | Friday, January 3rd, 2014

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