[Injuries due to fireworks at the turn of the year 1990/'91]

During the festivities at the turn of the year 1990, 58 patients with firework-related injuries were seen. A 200% increase in relation to previous years was observed. Minor blast injuries of the hand were the most frequent. Many children of Turkish and Moroccan nationality were involved. It was surmised that illegal and unsafe fireworks in combination with careless behaviour were causative factors. Prevention should be achieved through amending the law on use and distribution of fireworks and through intensifying and fine-tuning the annual information campaigns.