Toddler treated in hospital after being burned by firework

A toddler has been injured after a firework was thrown close to her in Co Tyrone.

Fireworks were thrown outside a petrol station in Carrickmore on Saturday evening.

Police said the girl, who is under the age of two, sustained a burn injury on her forearm that required hospital treatment.

A spokesman said: “We received a report that a group of young people were throwing fireworks outside a petrol station in the Main Street area of the village at around 8.30pm last night, Saturday 31st October.”

“One firework which they threw into the road partially exploded and then bounced back, exploding for a second time beside a child who was in the area with her parents.

“She sustained a burn to her forearm, which required hospital treatment.

“This little girl was aged under two and it’s only by sheer luck that the consequences of this reckless act weren’t even more serious. The irresponsibility of throwing fireworks near a petrol station is shocking.

“There were four young men, aged in their mid-teens and wearing dark-coloured tracksuits, involved and we would appeal to anyone with information on the identity of those responsible to contact us.

“You can contact police using our witness appeal form at https://reporting.psni.police.uk/appeals quoting reference 1724 of 31/10/26.”

Meanwhile, fireworks were “intentionally directed” at fire crews during six incidents on Halloween night.

Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) responded to 89 incidents on Saturday.

The NIFRS said several of the calls, to which they responded between 6pm on Saturday and 1am on Sunday, were Halloween-related, including 23 bonfires.

An NIFRS spokesperson said: “At six incidents, fireworks were intentionally directed at attending fire crews.

“No damage or injuries resulted and operational response for local communities was maintained throughout.”