The University of Kansas Hospital released fireworks-related injury information on the morning of Wednesday, July 5. Image courtesy of the University of Kansas Hospital.

By Paul Thompson

Northeast News

July 5, 2017

KANSAS CITY, Missouri – The University of Kansas Hospital revealed on the morning of Wednesday, July 5 that 15 patients were treated in and around the Independence Day holiday with fireworks-related injuries.

The hospital’s Burnett Burn Center released the cumulative fireworks-related injury data, which took into account injuries from the afternoon of Friday, June 30 through 10 a.m. on July 5.  According to the hospital, 73% of fireworks-related patients were male.  The report stated that 33% of the injuries were caused by mortars and 20% were caused by sparklers.

As is typical, the most common areas of injury are the hands and the face. After treating five finger amputations in 2016, the hospital reported no amputations in 2017.