Woman injured by fireworks

Tuesday, December 27, 2005

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Capt. Bill Wade of Tampa Fire Rescue said all fireworks, even ones this size, are illegal in Florida.

Tampa investigators are trying to find out where a 48-year-old woman got fireworks that blew up in her hand Monday.

Deborah Green lost her thumb and doctors are trying to save two other fingers. Green's mother said the device was in a bag of donated items.

Rescue crews said the woman thought she was lighting a candle, but grabbed the explosive instead. Green said she was looking for a candle because a water leak that got into the wiring forced the electricity in her apartment to be turned off.

"She lit it, and unfortunately it was this fireworks-type device that went off in her hand," Capt. Bill Wade of Tampa Fire Rescue said.

Wade said that wherever the fireworks came from, possession of explosive devices is illegal in most cases.

"No firecracker is truly legal in the state of Florida," Wade said. "You have to sign a waiver saying you're going to use it for legal purposes, such as railroading or agriculture."