Tripoli, 23 January 2013:
By eleven o’clock this evening, more than 120 people, mostly children, had been admitted to Tripoli hospitals, with . . .[restrict]injuries suffered from setting off fireworks in celebration of Mawlid.
While most of the injuries treated have been light, some people have suffered serious burns to the face, hands and eyes. The Libyan news agency LANA reported that there have also been amputations of damaged fingers and hands.
Medical staff and ambulance crews came on duty voluntarily to cope with the expected flow of casualties. There have been many reports of fire crackers being thrown at cars and pedestrians, causing at least five crashes.
The noisy and dangerous setting off of fireworks is likely to continue throughout the holiday.
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