A 15-year-old boy lost his hand and suffered severe burns to his chest and face when a fireworks device detonated in his hand in Oceanside Thursday morning.
The teen suffered the injuries, including the “traumatic amputation” of his hand, when the device blew up shortly before 9 a.m. on North Horne Street near Civic Center Drive, near the Walmart parking lot, police said.
He reportedly was with two other juveniles, but they ran off before police arrived, said Oceanside police Lt. Jon Dominique.
Firefighters and paramedics treated the boy at the scene before he was flown by helicopter to UC San Diego Medical Center Burn Center.
Oceanside police believe the teen had ignited multiple Black Cat fireworks at once, instead of one at a time, when the injuries occurred, a police spokesperson said.
All fireworks are illegal to possess in San Diego County. It wasn’t known where the teen had acquired the device.
The Oceanside Fire Department posted a message on Facebook: "Fireworks are extremely dangerous and not toys. This incident is a reminder of how quickly fireworks can cause life-changing injuries."
(Photos Oceanside Police Department)