The number of teenagers who lose a finger or a hand when handling fireworks is growing, plastic surgeons have warned as police clock up 21,000 incidents this year.

Over half the youngsters who sustain serious injuries when setting off powerful fireworks, including the illegal Cobra 6, are younger than 18, an analysis of figures from the last five years by the Dutch plastic surgeons association NVPC has shown. Some 42% are younger than 16 and two of the three youngsters who died during the period were minors.

The long-term consequences of losing a finger, a thumb and in some cases a whole hand are very serious, plastic surgeon Ernst Smits told RTL Nieuws. “It gets worse every year. What we see is horrendous,” he said.

According to the NVCP, amputation of (part of) a hand is necessary in 80% of accidents involving a Cobra 6.

Police clocked up some 21,000 incidents involving fireworks this year, ranging from lighting fireworks when it was not allowed, selling illegal fireworks and attacks on homes. An average of 70% of the 10,000 registered perpetrators were under 25 and almost half were under 18.

Many youngsters are not aware of the risks, Rotterdam police chief Tolga Koklu told broadcaster NOS.

“They don’t have the sense to see the consequences of their actions and their future literally goes up in smoke. Their reckless behaviour is putting themselves and others in grave danger,” Koklu said.

Koklu said it is easy to buy illegal fireworks via social media where powerful fireworks are available for as little as €10 to €15.  Parents, too, have to become more aware of the dangers of fireworks. They often have no idea that there are dangerous explosives hidden under the bed in their child’s bedroom, he said.

Police have confiscated some 80,000 kilos of fireworks this year, around the same amount as last year.