Experts warn of firework dangers around Fourth of July, summer events
Some are loaded with gunpowder, have potential to cause serious harm, says UCI Health trauma surgeon
IN THE NEWS: Fireworks are mainstays on the Fourth of July and at community events throughout the summer. Although legal and illegal fireworks and sparklers are common, they are extremely dangerous and can cause major injuries if not handled safely.
Laguna Hills resident Edther Ocampo was injured in 2024 after he and his brother Dominic relit what they thought was a smoke bomb. It exploded in Edther’s hands, causing internal injuries, burns and the loss of three fingers on his left hand. Read Edther's story.
Dr. Michael Lekawa, a trauma surgeon and chief of critical care, acute care and burn surgery with UCI Health, spoke with NBC 4 Los Angeles and Telemundo 52 Los Angeles about how fireworks caused the injuries in the now-11-year-old, who he treated after his 2024 accident.
“There are certain types of fireworks that are essentially loaded with types of gunpowder that can explode. They’re like small pieces of dynamite and they cause an explosion, which has a wave of energy that passes through your body.”
Ocampo has fully recovered, but his story underscores the dangers of playing with legal and illegal fireworks and sparklers.
Dr. Syed F. Saquib, medical director of the UCI Health Regional Burn Center, spoke with ABC 7 Los Angeles about what parents need to know about fireworks injuries, along with how to stay safe this summer.
“Sometimes people see fireworks on the ground and in a local public park. While it may be well-intentioned to pick them up and dispose of them, there is a concern that they haven’t detonated yet. Picking them up might cause them to explode in your hand, [leading to] a life-threatening or severe limb injury. Our recommendation is that if you see [abandoned fireworks], don’t approach them, don’t try to pick them up. Call your local sheriff. They will send someone over to dispose of them in the safest way possible.”
Lekawa is a clinical professor of surgery at the UC Irvine School of Medicine.
Saquib is an associate clinical professor of surgery at the UC Irvine School of Medicine.
About UCI Health
UCI Health, one of California’s largest academic health systems, is the clinical enterprise of the University of California, Irvine. The 1,317-bed system comprises its main campus UCI Medical Center, its flagship hospital in Orange, Calif., the UCI Health — Irvine medical campus, four hospitals and affiliated physicians of the UCI Health Community Network in Orange and Los Angeles counties and a network of ambulatory care centers across the region. UCI Medical Center provides tertiary and quaternary care and is home to the only Orange County-based National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, high-risk perinatal/neonatal program and American College of Surgeons-verified Level I adult and Level II pediatric trauma center, gold level 1 geriatric emergency department and regional burn center. Powered by UC Irvine, UCI Health serves nearly 5.7 million people in Orange County, western Riverside County and southeast Los Angeles County. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter).