Teen loses fingers in Berkeley fireworks accident on July 4, neighbors say

BERKELY, California – Fireworks injured a young man in Berkeley on July 4, costing him up to four fingers, neighbors told KTVU.

The Berkeley Police Department confirmed that two youths were injured in the explosion, but only one suffered a “significant” injury.

The identities of the two boys have not been released.

Neighbours said Friday that a group of about 30 teenagers were near the corner of Fairview and Harper streets Thursday night when some of them began lighting fireworks.

Surveillance video from the scene obtained by KTVU shows boys playing soccer in the street with firecrackers exploding above their heads, when suddenly, shortly before 10 p.m., there was some sort of explosion.

After a loud bang, a young man can be heard shouting “What the hell is this?” and “Call 911!” His voice is pierced with pain.

The other boys stop playing football and some rush to help the injured teenager, the video shows.

The injury itself was not filmed.

The Berkeley Scanner was first to report the news.

Neighbors said they were monitoring the scene and did not believe what the boys were doing was safe.

“I made a mental note that someone was going to be hospitalized,” said a neighbor who asked not to be named. “And then there was another explosion, and I started hearing a group of people yelling, ‘Call 911. Call 911.’”

WARNING: This video contains graphic sound

A neighbor said she saw one of the boys pick up a firework that had failed to explode, even though his friend had warned him to put the firework down before it exploded in his hand.

The injured teenager, a neighbor said, is a football player and was headed to college on a scholarship.

“Usually it's adults who use fireworks,” said Buford White, who lives nearby. “This year, it's mostly kids who have been using fireworks.”

Neighbours said the young man was seriously injured and it was clear from the blood spatter still visible Friday morning on the street corner and fence that it was quite a powerful explosion.

Berkeley police said an ambulance arrived minutes after the explosion.

“This is a reminder that fireworks are both dangerous and illegal and can be life-threatening,” police said in a statement.