California teen loses fingers to fireworks during July 4th celebration

Two California teenagers were injured by fireworks on Independence Day, with one reportedly losing several fingers in the incident, according to local media.

The incident happened Thursday night in Berkeley, where neighbors told KTVU that a teenager may have lost up to four fingers in the blast.

Berkeley police told KTVU that two teenagers were injured in the explosion, one of whom suffered a “serious” injury. The other teenager suffered minor injuries due to his proximity to the fireworks when they exploded, but was not taken to the hospital, according to KNTV.

Although the two teens have not been identified, KRON4 reported that the teen taken to the hospital was a high school football player entering his senior season at Berkeley High School and aiming for a college scholarship.

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Two California teenagers were injured by fireworks on Independence Day, one of whom reportedly lost several fingers in the incident. (iStock)

Berkeley firefighters, police and an ambulance arrived shortly after the incident. Police said in a statement that it “serves as a reminder that fireworks are both dangerous and illegal and can be life-threatening.”

“The Berkeley Police Department is hopeful that the juveniles and individuals involved in this accident will make a full recovery,” police continued in the statement.

A group of about 30 teens were at the scene of the incident when some of them began lighting fireworks about an hour before the injuries, according to neighbors who spoke to KTVU and KNTV.

Surveillance video shows boys playing soccer in the street as fireworks explode overhead. One explosion occurred around 9:50 p.m., according to KTVU. A firework exploded in one boy's hand, prompting screams, the report said.

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Neighbours said one teenager lost up to four fingers in the blast. (iStock)

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After the explosion, the teenager who appeared to be in pain yelled “what the hell?” and “call 911!” The other boys stopped playing football, and some ran to help the injured teenager.

A neighbor told KNTV that the fireworks failed to go off after being lit and the injured teen caught them before they exploded in his hand. This was after a friend warned him to put the fireworks down, according to KTVU.

Blood stains were still visible Friday at the street corner and on the fence, KTVU reported.