Man severely injured by firework malfunction warns others ahead of 4th of July celebrations
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Preparations are underway for the upcoming Fourth of July holiday weekend. A big highlight will be fireworks, but there's a new warning of potential dangers.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) wants everyone to celebrate safely, reinforcing it's best to leave fireworks to the professionals.
It's a lesson one man learned the hard way.
This Fourth of July holiday marks one year since Josh Beal was severely injured when a firework malfunctioned.
"As soon as I lit the fuse, it went off," Beal said. "I mean, I couldn't even move and it took the whole top of my hand off and it got my ear."
"There was blood everywhere," said Beal's wife, Suzanne.
Beal spent eight days in a trauma center and needed three extensive surgeries.
"It is the worst thing I've ever been through," he said.
"He had some really bad PTSD and I think it was the dark cause all that happened in the dark," his wife added.
New data from the Consumer Product Safety Commission shows that there were more than 10,000 fireworks-related injuries and 11 deaths last year, with 73% occurring during the month around the Fourth of July holiday.
"The most common injuries were caused by firecrackers and sparklers and mortars," said Alex Hoehn-Saric, the chair of CPSC.
A demonstration from the CPSC shows how devastating injuries can be.
"If you are going to have fireworks, light them one at a time on a flat surface [and] have a bucket of water nearby," Hoehn-Saric said. "Never relight a dud."
"I have anywhere from 75% to 80% of my strength back," Beal said.
The Beals want others to know that even if you take every precaution, like they did, things can go wrong.
"I hope if anything outta all this, I can save somebody this year or make somebody think twice about being safer about fireworks," Beal said. "I would not want anybody to see somebody go through what I went through."
"It's a great holiday and we love for what it stands for, but leave the pyro shows to the professionals," his wife added.
Of the nearly dozen fireworks deaths reported last year, the victims were between the ages of 11 to 43.
Doctors said it's especially important to keep children away from fireworks.
