Explosion at group

Firecracker tore off part of 16-year-old’s index finger

Serious accident in the town of Amstetten: a 16-year-old was taken to hospital.

(Bild: stock.adobe.com)

A 16-year-old was seriously injured in Amstetten. The teenager was walking with friends on a cycle path in Anzengruberstraße when a firecracker exploded near his left hand. The Amstetten police are still investigating the exact circumstances of the accident.

Serious accident involving a pyrotechnic object in the town of Amstetten. A 16-year-old was walking with his friends along the cycle path in Anzengruberstraße at around 5.20 p.m. on December 30 when a New Year's Eve firecracker exploded near his left hand.

Seriously injured
The teenager suffered burns to his left hand, neck and left armpit as a result of the explosion and also lost the last phalanx of his left index finger. He was taken to the Amstetten Regional Hospital by ambulance. The Amstetten police are still investigating exactly how the incident happened.

In this context, the Provincial Police Directorate of Lower Austria appeals to the public to exercise the utmost caution when handling pyrotechnic objects and provides tips on how to avoid accidents.

Police prevention tips for New Year's Eve:

• Only use fireworks that are approved in Austria. Pay attention to the labeling. Illegal fireworks can be unpredictable and cause serious injuries.
• Observe the age restrictions for the purchase and use of fireworks.
• Read the instructions carefully before use and observe the safety distances.
• Never set off fireworks indoors or in the vicinity of flammable materials.
• Never aim fireworks at people or animals.
• Do not throw fireworks out of windows or from balconies.
• Dispose of leftover fireworks properly.

Sad New Year's Eve record from the past
In recent years, serious accidents involving New Year's Eve fireworks have repeatedly occurred in Lower Austria. At the turn of the year 2022, a 23-year-old died after setting off a category F4 pyrotechnic device in Klausen-Leopoldsdorf in the district of Baden.

The so-called pyrotechnic had previously been purchased in the Czech Republic and illegally imported into Austria. The incident had legal repercussions for several people involved in Wiener Neustadt. Three young Lower Austrians received conditional prison sentences of eight to twelve months for gross negligence manslaughter and negligent bodily harm.

Another ball bomb kills
A ball bomb explosion in Ternitz in the district of Neunkirchen on the night of January 1, 2023 claimed the lives of two 18-year-olds. This item had also been purchased illegally in the Czech Republic. A trial at Wiener Neustadt Regional Court ended with six and nine months on probation for brothers aged 18 and 20. The duo was also charged with gross negligence manslaughter and negligent bodily harm.