Bothell boy seriously injured after firework explodes in his hand

Published 8:11 pm Monday, July 5, 2010

TULALIP — A 10-year-old Bothell boy was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle on Monday morning with serious injuries to his hand.

The boy, who was at a family gathering, was on the beach off Mission Beach Road at about 10:30 a.m. when he picked up what he thought was a “dud” firework piece and lit it with a cigarette lighter he also found on the beach. The firework exploded in the boy’s hand, said Snohomish County Fire District 15 Deputy Chief Rob Johnson.

The explosion was not life-threatening, but the boy was sent to Harborview as a precaution.

Marysville Fire Battalion Chief Rex Tucker said fire calls regarding fireworks were heavy over the weekend. “Stupidity was running rampant,” Tucker said.