A Firecracker Exploded Next To My Ear

Author:
David Edward Lynch
Updated:
Jul 8, 2019 6:03 PM EDT

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Fireworks Can Be Dangerous

When I was a lot younger I had an unfortunate experience with a firecracker exploding next to my ear.

It did not do me any good and I would not recommend using fireworks without knowing what one is doing. This was how I learned about the dangers of fireworks.

I relate here the effects of a cracker exploding next to my ear, I didn't have a good day that day. The inside part of my ear was really sore and loud sounds made it feel worse.

Perhaps you have had a similar experience or know something about pyrotechnics?

An Unfortunate Incident

I certainly got a big fright

Years ago when I was at junior school I had an unfortunate experience when a firecracker exploded next to my ear.

It was my own fault, I was young and in those days fireworks were fully legal, they could be purchased in any local store. We used to let off numerous crackers, sparklers, rockets, spinning wheels and other fireworks, normally on the 5th November, 'Guy Fawks'.

It was a school day and I was in my parents bedroom before going off to school. We lived in a double story house and, can you believe it I was lighting firecrackers and throwing them out of the window. I'm pretty sure my parents must have been telling me to stop lighting them and tossing them out the window, as it was dangerous.

I persisted and then it happened, I lit one cracker, held it up to throw out the window, but before I could discard it, it exploded right next to my ear. 'Tom Thumbs' I think they were called, nevertheless, small as it was, the effect on my ear was not good.

I experienced a sudden loss of hearing in my one ear, and then pain followed. It was a long time ago so I don't remember all the details of the experience. I do remember that I went to school that day with a deaf and very sore ear on the one side, namely the right ear.

We used to have an assembly at school where we would sing hymns and the headmaster would make various announcements and notices. The singing was extremely painful to my ear, I winced from the pain but tried not to show that something was terribly wrong with me.

I must have felt terribly guilty and embarrassed about what I'd done to myself because I didn't tell anybody about it but just suffered in silence.

Eventually the private use of fireworks was banned, only public displays of fireworks are allowed in certain areas. The affects on animals, especially dogs can be devastating. One year when firecrackers were exploding a dog from the neighbourhood came into our yard and got stuck in our back door security gate. Fortunately I was able to free him.

Fireworks when used properly and professionally are a beautiful spectacle to watch and experience, nevertheless the dangers still exist...

Fireworks Displays - Some Unfortunate Incidents

Many of you have probably seen some spectacular fireworks displays over the New Year Season.

We have them here in the city when the holiday season starts and on New Years Eve. I normally don't go because of the traffic congestion.

Unfortunately a man got hurt at one of these displays in December, something went wrong with one of the launches; it hit him in the face and damaged his eardrums (hopefully temporarily). His one eye was hurt and the hair on his arms was singed. I read about this in the local newspaper. These freak accidents do sometimes happen it seems.

I saw on the TV news about all the displays in various cities of the world, Dubai apparently hosted the biggest display.

It's tragic that people even get injured sometimes in these controlled displays.

I also read of a boy who had some of his fingers blown off in accident with a cracker. I'm sure one may hear of many such cases that occur mostly at this time of the year, or during Guy Fawks.