CABANATUAN CITY – A 13-year-old girl lost her two hands while three of her relatives were injured when a bottle filled with firecracker leftover exploded in Barangay D.S. Garcia here Tuesday night, police reported on Thursday.
Mary Joy Arboso of Purok Alitaptap, Barangay D.S. Garcia remains at the Paulino J. Gracia Memorial Research and Medical Center (PJGMRMC) here for amputation surgery procedures as her hands were severely injured, said Supt. Eli Depra, city police chief.
The other victims: Ernesto Aguilar,11; Marivic Arboso,8; and Sheila Marie Arboso,8, were release after undergoing medical treatment at MV Gallego Cabanatuan City Hospital, also in this city.
Investigation showed the victim found the bottle filled with firecracker powder from a pile of garbage in the village earlier that day.
At about 9:20 p.m., while the four were playing, Mary Joy lit up the bottle.
“They thought this will only produce fountain lights but it exploded instead,” Depra said.
Police could not ascertain if the firecracker powder was a leftover of New Year’s merrymaking. He warned the public, particularly children, against lighting up any chemicals to avoid such injuries.
It would be best, he said, to call authorities whenever suspicious materials or chemicals are found for proper disposition.
