A boy is only 11

Teenagers lose fingers from firecrackers

On New Year's Day, teenagers in Vienna were again seriously injured by firecrackers: an eleven-year-old in Hernals had to have a finger amputated, as did a 13-year-old in Brigittenau. The eleven-year-old boy's friends made off before the police arrived.

Witnesses had observed several boys of about the same age handling and setting off pyrotechnics in the Kongresspark at around 15:20. The eleven-year-old suffered serious injuries from the explosion, his friends had made off before the police, ambulance and St. John's Ambulance arrived.

Finger could no longer be saved
After receiving emergency medical treatment, the boy was taken to the shock room of a hospital, where one of his fingers could no longer be saved. He could not be questioned for the time being.

Lacerations, impact trauma and abrasions
Only shortly before, at around 2.40 pm, there were two injured boys (13 and 14) at Handelskai: the two claimed that others had set off firecrackers. The police were on the scene, but initially had no further information about what had happened.

The younger boy also lost a finger and, according to the emergency services, suffered lacerations and abrasions. The 14-year-old suffered an impact trauma and abrasions to his legs, although his injuries were classified as minor. The investigation is ongoing.