A father teaching his son the dangers of gunpowder lost one of his fingers and injured the young boy in a firework blast.
The surrounding neighbours believed it to be a gunshot at first, but it was later revealed to be a father-son lesson that had gone dreadfully wrong.
The man had accidentally set alight the gunpowder when demonstrating to his son how dangerous it could be, and the blast resulted in the loss of his finger and some facial injuries and possible loss of hearing in the boy.
The incident took place in Woodland Hills in the USA, but the story is just as relevant for the UK.
A girl of 16 also suffered serious burns yesterday in Manchester when she was hanging out with a group of friends. The firework had exploded, burning her face and arms. At this point it hasn't been confirmed whether she was holding the firework or simply standing near it, but it is concerning that a group of 16-year-olds can easily get hold of fireworks, especially during half term.
Fireworks are a great way to celebrate this time of year, but they're also incredibly dangerous if not used safely. Joanne recently wrote a piece on how to make sure you follow the Fireworks Code on bonfire night, which is well worth a read if you're taking kids to a display.
These recent incidents seem to raise the question that crops up every year. Should fireworks be sold to the public?
What do you think?