A doctor at the East Avenue Medical Center in Quezon City injects anesthesia on Generose, 5, after she suffered a deep cut when she stumbled on a piece of galvanized iron while running away from exploding firecrackers Friday. (Photo by MICHAEL VARCAS)

At least 23 fire incidents were recorded in Metro Manila as the nation welcomed the New Year Thursday night, while at least three people were killed in Nueva Ecija and Misamis Oriental from explosions of firecracker stores, according to field reports compiled by the Manila Bulletin.

Hundreds of people were also reported hurt nationwide, mostly from exploding firecrackers and pyrotechnics, but there were also reports of injuries from stray bullets despite an intensified campaign by authorities against the illegal discharge of firearms prior to the New Year revelries.

A man in his fifties was killed while nine others were seriously injured when some 25 stalls in the Science City of Muñoz in Nueva Ecija selling firecrackers exploded a few hours before New Year on Thursday.

Police said the fatality, whose identity has not yet been established, was reportedly totally burned after the strong and loud explosion around 5 p.m. He was described as a firecracker vendor. The nine injured were also vendors and passersby.

“The identity of the victim was not recognizable anymore,” a police report said.

In Guingoog City in Misamis Oriental, another firecracker stall exploded, killing a mother and her child.

A similar explosion also hit a firecracker stall in Pateros, Metro Manila, although no casualties were reported.

In Ilocos Sur, at least 18 persons, including a Singaporean national and eight children, were reportedly injured by stray bullets, accidental gun firing, mishandling of firecrackers, and stabbing incidents.

According to Dr. Rowena Dumag, the duty resident physician of Magsingal District Hospital, five youngsters who were victims of firecrackers were among those they treated, although she said there were lesser victims of stray bullets this year.

In Quezon City, 91 persons were hurt by firecrackers while two others were hit by stray bullets, although the local police also said the number was lower compared to last year’s figures.

Superintendent Victor Arevalo, chief of operations of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD), cited that there were more than 200 persons hurt including those hit by stray bullets in the previous New Year merrymaking.

Apart from those injured from the New Year Revelry, low-alarm fires broke in five different areas in Quezon City since 10:10 p.m. Thursday.

The Quezon City Fire District said no one was injured from the fires, with the highest alarm only reaching the third alarm and the longest only lasting 45 minutes.

In Makati, the case of a 36-year-old resident of Barangay West Rembo whose four fingers and half of his palm have to be amputated was already the worst reported firecracker-related incident in the city.

Compared to the 29 other blast patients of the Ospital ng Makati in both Pembo and Malugay branches, only Danilo Cruz had to be operated on due to the extreme extent of his injury after exploding “pla-pla”, among the more powerful firecrackers that the Department of Health wants outlawed.

Just like blast patients, other Makati residents welcomed the New Year in a sorry state after losing their homes in firecracker-related fires.

According to Senior Fire Officer 2 Lauro Ligit, at least three fire incidents were reported to the Makati Central Fire Station from December 31 until dawn of January 1.

In San Juan and Pasig, despite pleas from the DoH not to use firecrackers, dozens were still admitted to various hospitals due to firecracker- related injuries.

Carl Salvador, staff nurse at the San Juan City Medical Center, said that since midnight of December 31, at least three people were admitted to the emergency room of the hospital with firecracker injuries.

For his part, Dr. Dave Dato, an emergency room consultant for the Pasig City General Hospital, said since New Year’s Eve, a total of 13 people, mostly children, were treated due to firecracker-related injuries.

“Ang pinakabatang pasyente namin eh dose anyos at ang pinakamatanda eh 64 years-old. Pero karamihan ng victims na-admit eh mga bata,” Dato said.

In northern Metro Manila, authorities said that for the first time in many years, no major fire occurred except for some minor ones at the height of New Year's Eve celebrations.

A Valenzuela City firefighter said they responded to seven fire incidents at the height of the revelry but only three were structural fires and were immediately placed under control.

In Caloocan City, a one story structure located along Clamor Avenue, Clamor Subdivision in Barangay Bagumbong caught fire but was immediately placed under control by responding firefighters.

For the first time in years, there was also no fire incident recorded in Cavite, the most populated province in the country. (Reports from Samuel Medenilla, Kris Bayos, Willie Catapat, Anthony Giron, Franco Regala, Freddie Lazaro, Jeffrey Damicog, and Francis Wakefield).