Title: New Year’s Eve Vuurwerk Surge: 14 Injured in Leeuwarden and Heerenveen
In a busy night for the Frisius MC, the fusion organization between MCL and Tjongerschans, 14 people were admitted to Leeuwarden and Heerenveen hospitals with severe injuries caused by fireworks. This figure surpasses last year’s total of 12 injuries, and more than half of this year’s victims were minors.
Dr. Tijmen de Jong, a plastic surgeon at Frisius MC, told us, "There was quite a lot going on last night." He was consulted on seven serious cases, including one person who lost a finger and a young woman who sustained significant facial injuries.
Although Dr. de Jong had hoped for a quiet night due to the previous night’s rain, the reality was disappointing. He attributed this to the varied types of fireworks available, but noted a positive trend: "There’s been a lot of attention on cobra fireworks recently, leading people to handle them more carefully."
Every injury is one too many, according to Dr. de Jong. "It’s especially concerning when young people are affected, as they have their whole lives ahead of them. Plus, there are often bystanders who get harmed by others’ fireworks."
The full extent of the firework injuries will only become apparent in the coming days, Dr. de Jong added: "You can’t accurately assess the damage until a few days later. The impact of this incident won’t be limited to just one night; the coming weeks will also be busy."
Meanwhile, the maternity ward was quiet, with no babies born in either Leeuwarden or Heerenveen hospitals as of 2025.
As the city begins to clean up and reflect on the night’s events, let’s hope that next year sees a significant decrease in firework-related injuries.
