Unforeseeable danger when students make homemade firecrackers

Learn how to make cannons online

Every year, before and during the Lunar New Year, the situationmanufacture, store, trade and use of fireworks, illegallyare increasing and becoming more complicated. It is worth mentioning that there have been many cases of students, teenagers and young people learning about and illegally making fireworks through websites on social networks. These are not only illegal acts but also pose unpredictable dangers to life, health and security and order in the area.

Some Youtube accounts give instructions on how to make firecrackers. Photo: Tien Dong

“Making fireworks is so easy” - is the phrase that many students answered when we asked them if they knew how to make fireworks. In fact, just typing the phrase “instructions on how to make fireworks” on the Google search page, in about 0.23 seconds, it gave more than 5 million results. Notably, on YouTube - the world's largest online video sharing platform, there are also videos with detailed instructions on how to make fireworks with millions of views, hundreds of thousands of likes, comments, cheers and questions about how to make fireworks. The videos are shared publicly, welcomed and considered normal, despite the potential dangers and the long-standing ban on setting off fireworks.

Homemade fireworks seized by police. Photo: Archive

This information is increasingly attracting many followers, especially students who often learn about it, then they order chemicals such as sulfur, potassium chloride, etc. to mix into firecrackers. After having the chemicals, students use notebook paper or newspaper to roll into firecracker shells or use PVC pipes and glue to make and produce firecrackers right at home.

In fact, in Nghe An there have been many cases.students make homemade firecrackersfor use and were discovered and confiscated by authorities. Recently, on the night of December 12, Nghia Tho Commune Police, Nghia Dan District discovered two subjects born in 2009, LTA, residing in Men Hamlet and HTA, residing in Trong Hamlet, Nghia Tho Commune, 8th grade students of Phu Tho Secondary School, who were manufacturing firecrackers. At the scene, the police seized 8 kg of materials to make firecrackers, including firecracker shells wrapped in student notebooks, sulfur powder, slow-burning wire, coal powder, food packaging bags and 7 finished firecrackers.

Students making homemade firecrackers were discovered by Nam Dan District Police. Photo: CQCACC

In particular, through their statements, LTA and HTA said they bought the materials online and learned how to make their own firecrackers. After successfully making them, they test-fired 4 of them. After the above incident, Nghia Tho Commune Police confiscated all the evidence and worked with the parents and school to handle the case according to the law.

Homemade firecrackers usually take place before Tet, as in recent years the situation of setting off firecrackers on New Year's Eve has become more complicated. Because the sale and storage of firecrackers at the end of the year is often strictly controlled by the authorities, many students have ordered materials to make their own firecrackers.

In Nam Dan, right after the launching ceremony of the peak campaign to crack down on crime before, during and after the Lunar New Year of Quy Mao in 2023, Nam Dan District Police handled many cases of students illegally making firecrackers.

Some students making explosive fireworks were discovered and summoned by the police. Photo: CACC

Specifically, at 7:15 a.m. on November 30, 2022, during a patrol, Nam Thanh Commune Police discovered 4 cases including: D.VH; PHM; NTL, all born in 2010 and NKMH (born in 2009), a student of Nam Thanh Secondary School, who brought materials and tools to school to produce firecrackers. The police seized 25 rolls of paper used to make firecracker bodies, 1 roll of fuse wire, and 1 roll of tape. The students all confessed to using the above materials and components to produce firecrackers, and for the firecracker powder, they mixed match powder with crushed tin and put it in the body of the firecracker. The commune police have drawn up a working record, coordinated with the families and schools to continue to deter and educate the students.

Or on December 4, 2022, Nam Dan District Police in coordination with Kim Lien Commune Police discovered HTQ (born in 2007), residing in Hoang Tru Hamlet, Kim Lien Commune, carrying 1 bag of potassium chloride; 1 bag of sulfur; 1 bag of firecrackers; 32 rolls of homemade firecrackers. Through the investigation, HTQ confessed that he had purchased the above materials to make firecrackers.

Serious consequences

Homemade fireworks have in fact caused extremely serious consequences, which can be administratively punished by the authorities in the mildest cases, and criminally prosecuted in the worst cases. The most worrying thing is that students can be injured or even killed if a fire or explosion occurs during the process of making fireworks.

A student in Nam Dan was seriously injured after setting off homemade firecrackers. Photo: Document

Remember, on the evening of February 6, 2021, in Thanh My commune (Thanh Chuong), PNK (born in 2007), living with her grandparents in My Tien village, Thanh My commune, made her own firecrackers and played with them. Immediately after that, the firecracker exploded, causing her chest and arms to be crushed. Although her family immediately took her to the emergency room, she died due to her severe injuries. It is worth mentioning that K. made a very dangerous type of firecracker, the gunpowder was stuffed into a short stainless steel tube, when it exploded, it caused a loud bang and was very deadly if it accidentally exploded near a person.

Previously, on January 28, 2021, 2 students from Mai Hac De High School and 1 student from Nam Dan 2 High School (Nam Dan) made and set off firecrackers, causing serious injuries, including a student's arm being crushed.

Recently, on December 9, at a coffee shop in Hanh Lam commune (Thanh Chuong), an explosion occurred, causing a man to have his hand crushed and his stomach punctured. Initially, authorities determined that this was an explosion caused by homemade fireworks.

Official dispatch on implementing solutions to prevent violations of fireworks from the Nghe An Department of Education and Training sent to departments and affiliated units. Photo: Tien Dong

Mr. Thai Van Thanh - Director of Nghe An Department of Education and Training said: In recent years, the education sector has also paid great attention to propaganda, prevention and control of firecrackers in schools. The police have also coordinated with schools to organize propaganda on firecracker prevention and control and signed a commitment not to produce, trade, transport, store, or illegally use firecrackers, explosives, and supporting tools. However, in reality, incidents involving students still occur. Some cases have been detected and handled promptly, but there have also been cases that have left tragic consequences. In the coming time, especially during Tet, the Department will direct departments and schools to increase propaganda so that students understand the harmful effects of firecrackers, especially that making firecrackers themselves will lead to serious consequences.

It can be seen that, although firecrackers can bring a bit of a bustling atmosphere during Tet, the consequences are extremely serious for health as well as security and order. To prevent this problem, it requires the authorities, families, and schools to improve the effectiveness of education and management to avoid unfortunate consequences related to firecrackers that may occur.