4 die, 340 injured in New Year firecracker accidents; DOH reports 34% drop from last year

Four people died due to firecracker-related accidents across Luzon and Visayas as the country welcomed the New Year, with dozens more injured; among the fatalities was a 44-year-old man in Dagupan City who sustained severe head injuries from an exploding firecracker.

The youngest victim was an eight-year-old boy from San Fabian, Pangasinan, while two other deaths were reported in Cebu and Nueva Ecija, including a former firecracker maker with severe leg injuries.

According to the Department of Health, there were 340 firecracker-related injuries recorded from December 22 to January 1, marking a 34% decrease compared to the previous year.

The holiday period also saw an increase in indiscriminate discharge of firearms, resulting in 27 cases and three wounded individuals, with seven suspects still at large.