Dad warns of fireworks danger after car park blast injury

Summarised from BristolLive's report · Updated 5 Nov, 22:04 · Archive

A man was blown 10 feet across a car park and suffered a severe eye injury after a rocket firework detonated unexpectedly while he was lighting it.

Robert Stott, a 40-year-old landscape gardener from Darlington, County Durham, was blown 10 feet across a car park after a firework detonated in his hands. BristolLive reports that Stott had been lighting a rocket firework to celebrate his niece's 21st birthday when the accident occurred. The rocket was missing its fuse, causing it to instantly detonate while Stott was standing at arm's length away.

Stott was knocked unconscious and rushed to Darlington Memorial Hospital with severe injuries to his right eyeball, which split open from the force of the blast. He also suffered cuts to his ear, forehead and cheek. Doctors told him the explosion had 'moved his brain', causing short-term memory loss. Stott was unable to work for six months during his recovery.

Stott is now urging others never to light fireworks themselves. He said: 'I thought my niece loves fireworks so it'll be a nice surprise for her at the end of the night'. The incident has put him off attending firework shows for life and left him determined to warn others of the dangers.

Read the report

• UK dad issues Bonfire Night warning after freak car park accidentRobert Stott was blown across a car park after an accident with fireworksBristolLive · 5 Nov, 16:37

In this story: Robert Stott · Darlington · County Durham · Darlington Memorial Hospital

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