Warning on injuries caused by Halloween bonfires

Dublin Fire Brigade attended more than 500 fires and other incidents on Halloween night last year, a reduction of 20 per cent on the previous year.

However while the number of incidents has fallen, it remained the busiest night of the year for the fire service, acting chief fire officer Dennis Keeley said.

“There is always a 100 per cent increase at least in incidents at Halloween. We responded to 503 incidents, of which 196 were fires and the rest were ambulance calls.”

The profile of calls changes significantly after 10pm, he said. “Between 4pm and 10pm we are mainly responding to bonfires, but after 10pm, it’s alcohol-related incidents. Attacks on our staff are still a problem.”

Odhran Shelley, director of the National Burns Unit at St James's Hospital, said fires and fireworks result in devastating injuries every year. "People expose themselves to risks they otherwise wouldn't. It's not just fireworks and illegal bonfires, we see burn injuries when costumes catch fire from candles or fires lit for atmosphere."

Uncontrolled bonfires

Some of the worst injuries do, however, come from fireworks and uncontrolled bonfires, Mr Shelley said.

“Where accelerants have been thrown on a fire, we often see flash-flame burns which can have a disastrous effect.”

Injuries from handling fireworks were most often sustained by children and younger adults, he said. “People don’t realise they are handling explosives and they can suffer devastating facial and hand injuries. It’s very common if a firework explodes to lose a digit, including a thumb, and it’s very difficult to reconstruct hands.”

Mr Shelley and Mr Keeley have urged people to attend only official Halloween events.

Dublin City Council's main event on Friday night will be held in Ballymun. The Ballymun Otherworld Festival starts at 5.30pm with a parade and culminates in a firework display over the Plunkett Tower, the last remaining tower block in the area.

Other events include Finglas Fright Night at the Finglas Civic Centre, Mellowes Road, 6pm-9pm and the East Wall parade which arrives at East Wall Recreation Centre at 7.15pm and is followed by a dance performance.