Teenager in Benguet loses 3 fingers due to 'pla-pla'

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines - A boy and a teenager have been hurt by firecrackers in Cordillera, the regional health office here said Friday.

Elnoria Bugnosen, Department of Health (DOH) Emergency Management Service officer, said the victims are residents of Baguio City and Sagada in Mt. Province.

An 11-year-old boy in Barangay San Luis in Baguio City sustained burns in his right hand after lighting a Piccolo, the usual culprit in firecracker related injuries.

A 16-year-old of Barangay Bangaan in Sagada, meanwhile, lost his right hand's three fingers due to a "pla-pla" in Barangay Bangaan, Sagada. The victim also suffered injuries in his face because of the firecracker blast.

The incident happened even as the local governments of Baguio City and La Trinidad, Benguet province's capital town, have been the manufacture and distribution of firecrackers and pyrotechnics.