BOSTON (MyFoxBoston.com) -- Two children under the age of 10 were seriously injured by fireworks over the holiday weekend. One boy lost his hand and another cannot see. The two were part of a group of children who lit fireworks that they found near a park.
The incident happened on Sunday around noon on Howard Avenue in Dorchester.
Nine-year-old Raciel Carbuccia lost a hand. The other boy, Jerry Constantine, suffered injuries to his face and cannot see, according to family members.
"He starts to cry when he knows he can't see us," said Briana Flores, Jerry's cousin. "He still has no vision."
Both boys suffered burns to their hands and face.
"His hands, the skin was blown off. They had to skin graft his arms to his hand to repair it," said Jerry's aunt and guardian Tiffany Oliva.
On Monday morning, Boston Children's Hospital officials said that Raciel Carbuccia was listed in fair condition.
Boston Police Superintendent in Chief William Gross asked members of the public to go around their homes and playgrounds to make sure there were no fireworks left in the vicinity where children could get them. Officers were searching a nearby park to look for any fireworks on the ground. Having, selling or buying fireworks in Massachusetts is illegal.
One witness described the scene to FOX25 following the explosion.
"He looked really, really hurt," Kesina Gray said of Raciel Cabuccia. "His entire hand was gone."
Gray described hearing a loud explosion and then seeing a white cloud of smoke. She saw a boy run across the street looking horrified.
"I could tell that he was injured, and I called 911," she said.
Gray said it was tragic to see such young children playing with fireworks.
"You cannot let your kids play with fireworks," she said. "It's very dangerous."
Click here to be directed to the GoFundMe page for Raciel Cabuccia.
Cox Media Group
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