[Injuries due to fireworks].

This investigation is a review of the injuries due to fireworks seen in five casualty departments in Denmark over a period of four years. These casualty departments have a total catchment population of 675,000 (13% of the population of Denmark). The review is based on data from the Danish section of EHLASS-project. (Europea Home and Leisure Accident surveillance system). During the period of observation, 358 injuries due to fireworks were observed. 60% of the injuries occurred in persons under the age of 18 years. In 51%, the mechanism of the injury consisted of direct heat while 33% of the patients were hit by flying fireworks and 10% had small foreign bodies in the eye. The regions most frequently injured were the hands/fingers (40%) or the eyes (24%). 6% of the patients required admission to hospital. The estimated number of injuries due to fireworks in Denmark is 690 annually. The majority of injuries due to fireworks were due to incorrect use of fireworks of absence of protective measures.