Love or loathe them – fireworks are a big part of many celebrations worldwide.
But Bonfire Night and New Year’s Eve don’t just create big spectacles on the night sky; they also cause a lot of harm, according to UK firework injury statistics.
UK Firework Injury Statistics & Facts
- There were 116 hospital admissions of people injured by fireworks in the UK in 2020/21. (NHS)
- 21 of these admissions involved children aged 14 or under. (NHS)
- While not all firework injuries lead to hospital admission, 1,835 people in England attended A&E for firework injuries in 2018/19. (UK Parliament)
- UK firework injuries spike over the Halloween and Bonfire months, and between 2015 and 2019, there were 3,591 A&E visits in England during October and November alone. (JPIMedia Data Unit)
- Fireworks injure more boys than girls. (Children’s Burns Trust)
- Most injuries from fireworks are to the eyes, head or hands. (Children’s Burns Trust)
- Most injuries happen at private or family displays. (Children’s Burns Trust)
- Rockets, air bombs and sparklers cause the most common firework injuries. (UK Government)
- Fireworks aren’t only harmful to humans; in 2021, a labrador-Staffie got so startled by fireworks that it died. (The Independent)
- Firework injuries fell significantly in Northern Ireland after 2002 legislation obliged people buying category 2 or 3 fireworks to get a license. (The Guardian)
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