11 dead, 600 injured in Philippines New Year celebrations

At least 11 people were killed and nearly 600 injured as Filipinos welcomed 2005 with daredevil revelry – but there were fewer firecracker blasts and less celebratory gunfire than in the past.

More people converged last night to watch official firework displays organised in three areas of Manila’s tourist and financial districts to discourage rowdier celebrations. And there was less sparkle and smoke from exploding firecrackers in the capital’s sky.

But those who lit powerful firecrackers and defied a ban on the celebratory firing of guns were as careless as in the past, despite a government campaign against dangerous celebrations that have often made the city’s alleys resemble smoke-shrouded war zones on New Year’s Eve.

“We sympathise with the victims, but we hope more and more people will be more cautious,” police spokesman Senior Supt. Leopoldo Bataoil said. “Let’s not learn the hard way. There is no need to lose a hand to learn one’s lesson.”

Of the 11 deaths monitored by police in the two weeks that ended today, seven were caused by a firecracker-ignited fire, three by stray bullets and one by a firecracker blast, Bataoil said. He said 547 people were injured by firecrackers and 30 by stray bullets. Fireworks ignited 22 blazes across the country during the period.

Among the dead were seven people trapped yesterday in houses which caught fire when a man set off a firecracker that hit and ignited a stack of pyrotechnics.

Firefighters struggled to control the blaze, which burned for nearly three hours, in Bocaue, a firecracker-producing town north of Manila.

Health Secretary Manuel Dayrit said doctors amputated the hands of 27 people severely injured by firecrackers. Many of those injured were children or drunken men, he said.

Health officials have tried to scare potentially rowdy revellers with posters of a man whose right hand was blown off by an oversized firecracker last year and TV ads in which he explained the dangers of firecrackers.

Superstitious Filipinos believe the noisy celebrations, largely influenced by Chinese tradition, drive away evil and misfortune.

Some show off with stunts like holding lighted firecrackers in their hands.