13-Year-Old Glen Burnie Boy Nearly Loses Fingers After Playing With Fireworks

GLEN BURNIE, Md. (WJZ) -- A 13-year-old boy nearly lost his hand to a fireworks accident. He found the dangerous explosive just lying around inside a friend's Glen Burnie home.

Kai Jackson has his warning to other kids.

This child suffered a serious injury that could have been much worse.

Under bandages are more than 200 stitches holding together the hand Dijovah Hawkins nearly lost.

"We were playing with firecrackers, and I was about to throw it and it exploded in my hand," Hawkins said.

It happened Monday in the 100-block of Ferndale Avenue in Glen Burnie. Firefighters later determined it was an M-80 firework that nearly blew off the 13-year-old's hand.

"My thumb was bending over and my first three fingers almost fell off," Hawkins said.

"My first reaction was 'His thumb is gone.' That's what I thought because I didn't even see it," said Donald Hawkins, father.

Dijovah and his friend found the M-80 inside the friend's house. They brought it outside to light it but had no idea how powerful it was.

"We thought it was a firecracker, like a small one that would just have a small reaction, but it didn't," he said.

Like most fireworks, M-80s are illegal in the state of Maryland.

"Many children are not aware of the dangers of fireworks," said Chief Michael Cox.

Cox from the Anne Arundel County Fire Department says more than 50 percent of fireworks accidents happen to kids younger than the age of 15.

After learning his lesson the hard way, Dijovah Hawkins has a warning for other kids.

"Not to play with them because a lot of stuff can happen with them," he said.

Dijovah Hawkins is expected to fully recover but has months of rehab ahead.

If you find fireworks of any kind -- legal or illegal -- you can turn them into the fire department without any punishment.