Fireworks' victims drops this year

JAKARTA: The number of victims of burns resulting from fireworks who were admitted to the Cipto Mangunkusumo public hospital on the eve of and during the Idul Fitri celebrations dropped significantly this year.

"Last year, 60 people were admitted to the hospital's emergency unit on the eve of Idul Fitri with more than half of them suffering burns from fireworks accidents," the hospital's public relations chief, Royan Simanjuntak, said here on Monday.

This year, he said, of the 24 people admitted to the emergency unit only one had been injured by fireworks on the eve of Idul Fitri. The rest were victims of road accidents or were suffering from stomach ailments.

According to Royan, the medical staff were delighted with the dramatic decrease in the number of fireworks victims. "All the doctors and nurses are very concerned when they have to deal with fireworks' victims," he was quoted by Antara as saying.

The police this year for the first time strictly enforced the ban on the sale and use of fireworks during the fasting month of Ramadhan and the Idul Fitri festivities.--JP