ARCHIVE – An ambulance drives in Rome. Photo: Marijan Murat/dpa/Archive image
Keystone
A man died after a firecracker exploded on New Year’s Eve afternoon in a suburb of Rome. According to the emergency services, the man suffered extremely serious injuries to his face, upper body and a hand that was literally blown off. The man lost a lot of blood and died at the scene. Resuscitation attempts were unsuccessful.
Fireworks and New Year’s Eve firecrackers are banned in the Italian capital from the last day of the year until January 7. However, in many areas of Rome around New Year’s Eve, this ban is not strictly enforced.
According to initial findings, the victim is a man of Moldavian origin aged around 60. He was handling the firework himself when it detonated. The explosion also damaged the windows of several parked cars. There were no other casualties. The authorities are now investigating the type of firecracker and the cause of the explosion.