Vice-Admiral Radhames Lora Salcedo, whose National Emergency Commission authorized approximately 1,500 points of sale for fireworks nationwide, blames parents for the high number of accidents related to the explosives over the Christmas holidays. Fireworks are being sold on every main street, as well as in supermarkets, colmados and several street corners of affluent sectors of Santo Domingo. The number of injuries this year is more than double those of 2002. Fireworks had been banned in the past by presidential decree, but the new authorities authorized their sale by reason that around 20,000 Dominicans make a living from their manufacture and sale. “I am sorry that parents do not assume the responsibility, but fireworks are a licit business and we have tried to impose controls – that is what we have to do. Anyone in violation of these laws will have their goods confiscated. But in regards to children, our direct allies need to be the parents who must watch over their children,” said Salcedo, in an interview with El Caribe. Dominican hospitals have seen several cases of small children who have lost their hands due to injuries sustained while playing with firecrackers.
Physician Carlos de los Santos of the Burn Unit of the Luis Aybar Hospital told the Listin Diario that no matter the quality of the fireworks, people need to understand that the human body is not designed to resist an explosion. He said that to eliminate the cases of burns and maiming from use of fireworks, Congress should implement a law prohibiting their use. He said that in during the Leonel Fernandez administration, the sale of fireworks was prohibited, bringing the number of fireworks-related burn incidents to zero. The doctor said that last year there were 218 cases of serious burns due to fireworks.