A ten-year-old boy suffered serious injuries, including a partial amputation of his middle finger, after a firecracker exploded in his hand on Sunday in Vienna-Penzing. The incident has prompted increased checks on illegal pyrotechnic items in shops across the city.
The boy was walking along Pierrongasse on Sunday afternoon when the device detonated. Witnesses alerted emergency services, who reported injuries to two additional fingers, according to the Vienna professional rescue service. Police stated they were unable to determine the type of pyrotechnic object involved, as the boy provided no information and no other witnesses came forward. A relative of the boy did arrive at the scene following the incident.
Czech Law Impacts “Firecracker Tourism”
Authorities note that injuries from pyrotechnics typically affect males under the age of 24. In Vienna, police and the Immediate Measures group routinely inspect businesses suspected of selling illegal fireworks. This year, however, inspections have not uncovered any banned items, a change from the previous year.
The decline in illegal fireworks is linked to stricter regulations in the Czech Republic, which banned the sale of firecrackers up to category F3 at markets and mobile stands starting in December. This has led to a noticeable decrease in “firecracker tourism.” Controls in Lower Austria, bordering the Czech Republic, demonstrate this trend: police reported approximately 185 cases of banned pyrotechnics last year, compared to around 80 cases so far this year – a reduction of more than 50 percent.
Vienna police reiterated on Monday that possessing and using prohibited firecrackers is a criminal offense and presents a substantial safety risk to both individuals and bystanders.
