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Fourth of July fireworks are an American tradition, but gruesome new images have revealed what can happen when these explosives aren't handled with care.
A shocking collection of X-rays exposed the life-changing injuries the human hand can suffer when fireworks explode before someone puts them down on the ground.
The X-rays, posted by Radiology Rocks on Facebook, showed nine different incidents involving fireworks that left the victims with mangled hands and broken fingers.
In some of the cases, there was little to nothing left of multiple fingers, with one patient having lost all five of their fingers in the blast.
Other scans showed how the blast had snapped the pinky and ring fingers, splitting the person's hand in half.
Another accident victim had their hand completely shattered by a fireworks explosion, leaving their hand in six different pieces.
'This is the last weekend someone in the USA will have all 10 fingers,' the post on Facebook noted.
It's a grim comment, but a completely accurate one, as health and safety officials warn that two-thirds of all firework-related accidents take place around the Fourth of July.
A collection of X-rays warning about the dangers of Fourth of July fireworks was posted by Radiology Rocks on Facebook. In one instance, a fireworks accident victim appears to have lost all 5 of their fingers and most of their hand in the blast (right)
According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), firework injuries skyrocketed in 2024, with roughly 14,700 firework-induced wounds needing treatment in hospital emergency rooms last year.
That was a 52-percent increase from 2023. Additionally, 11 people died in firework accidents in 2024, a 38 percent jump from the prior year.
Overall, CPSC reports that 66 percent of firework-related injuries in the US take place between June 21 and July 21.
As the grisly X-rays revealed, a large majority of firework-related accidents involve the hands and fingers (36%).
However, more than one in five people (22%) will also suffer injuries to their head, face, or ears in a fireworks explosion. The most common type of injury is severe burns.
Shockingly, CPSC officials found that approximately 1,700 injuries in 2024 involved sparklers, which are often perceived as the safest option on the Fourth of July.
Prior studies have found that 57 percent of serious wounds, including amputations, were caused by firecrackers, bottle rockets, and sparklers.
One of the most famous cases of a Fourth of July amputation involved NFL star defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, who lost his index finger and most of his thumb and middle finger on his right hand in an accidental explosion in 2015.
'This is the last weekend someone in the USA will have all 10 fingers,' the post on Facebook noted
Overall, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that 66 percent of firework-related injuries in the US take place between June 21 and July 21
NFL defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul (pictured) lost multiple fingers and only has partial use of his right hand following a Fourth of July fireworks accident in 2015
'One of the greatest American traditions in celebrating the 4th of July is with fireworks,' Pierre-Paul wrote in a 2018 Instagram post. 'Unfortunately, tomorrow someone will be injured playing with fireworks.'
'I'm glad to still be alive to show you the outcome of what happened to me,' the pro athlete shared.
'Please don't feel sorry for me, trust me, your boy is fine even with missing fingers lol. Be safe out there, otherwise, this can be you.'
As Pierre-Paul remembers, he was lighting a batch of amateur fireworks when the wind started blowing out his lighter.
While the majority of firework-related accident involve severe burns, X-rays posted online revealed how many people have hand their bones horribly mangled in the explosions
Eventually, he decided to give it one more try, which is when everything erupted in a flash of green light.
CPSC data revealed that 12 of 18 deaths involving fireworks in 2020 were related to misuse and unsafe practices.
While anyone can be the victim of a fireworks accident, researchers have found that three-quarters of firework injuries involve men.
Children and young adults are the most likely age groups to suffer a devastating injury on the Fourth of July, with people between 25 and 44 (32%) and between 15 and 24 (24%) suffering the highest injury rates in 2024, according to the Journal of the American College of Emergency Physicians Open.
According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), firework injuries skyrocketed in 2024, with roughly 14,700 firework-induced wounds needing treatment in hospital emergency rooms last year
As the grisly X-rays revealed, a large majority of firework-related accidents involve the hands and fingers. 36 percent of annual fireworks injuries involve a person's fingers
Firework-related accidents have skyrocketed in recent year, with over 14,000 injuries requiring a trip to the emergency room in 2024
As for how to prevent a fireworks tragedy this year, CPSC said that children should never be allowed to light their own fireworks, not even sparklers.
It's also important to keep a bucket of water nearby or a garden hose ready in case of a fire or other potential malfunction with the fireworks.
When lighting fireworks, only light one at a time and then quickly move back to a safe distance. Do not continue to hold the firework once lit.
If the firework does not ignite, never try to relight it or pick it up. The fireworks could still go off at any time.
The American Pyrotechnics Association (APA) found that approximately 298 million pounds of consumer fireworks were used in the US last year.
That was actually a major decrease from 2022, when roughly 436 million pounds of consumer fireworks were lit, suggesting that more and more people are saving their hands and leaving the fireworks to the professionals.
