What to do with dud firecrackers? BFP shows

The firecracker that exploded and killed a 12-year-old boy in Tondo, Manila proves that a defective firecracker could still be dangerous.

According to Dano Tingcungco’s Tuesday report on “24 Oras”, the firecracker that the victim and his friend picked up was identified as a piccolo, a firecracker prohibited by authorities.

Barangay Kagawad Cyron Reyes said the kids picked up a firecracker that had been lit but failed to explode and which he believes was soaked in water or other liquids.

The other child, also 12, sustained serious injuries and is in critical condition after being operated on.

The Department of Trade and Industry earlier reminded the public to avoid touching or reigniting firecrackers that have been lit, whether they worked or not.

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Fire Protection said soaked firecrackers could still explode since they can dry up and their chemicals can react to the heat or radiation from the sun.

To properly dispose these dud firecrackers, these are submerged in water for five minutes or until these break up into pieces, its contents combining with the water and the powder dissolves.

“Binababad ang mga pulbura at content ng explosive na powder sa drum ng minimum of five minutes or more tapos kapag nababad na sa drum, that's the time na ibuhos sa kalupaan,” said Fire Superintendent Anthony Arroyo, BFP public information service chief.

(The explosive contents are submerged in a drum for a minimum of five minutes or longer. Once they have been soaked in the drum, that is the time they are poured onto the ground.”

BFP said the explosive material found in firecrackers is similar gunpowder that can ignite if left unattended, which can be more dangerous if these are lit at the same time. — Mariel Celine Serquiña/RF, GMA Integrated News