It's All Fun And Games Until Somebody Gets Hurt

Teen admits firecracker caused him to lose hand, leg

Wednesday, January 28, 2009 The Associated Press

"Police say a Westmoreland County boy who lost his right hand and leg in an explosion has acknowledged playing with a powerful firework and was not targeted or threatened as he first told police.

Latrobe police say the 17-year-old boy was playing with a large firecracker like an M-80 in his grandmother's house Jan. 10.

The boy kept lighting and extinguishing the fuse and, when it wouldn't go out, he put the firework between his thighs and covered it with his right hand in hopes of muffling the explosion, police said.

The boy remains in a Pittsburgh hospital with severe injuries to his left leg.

Police say the boy first told them the explosive blew up in a backpack after he was the target of threats from unknown people.

"I remember that one...."