A MAN was killed when fireworks blew up in his face just 30 minutes into the Lunar new year on Monday.
By Shaow Yong, 26, who had tied the knot only last month and whose wife is expecting, had almost half his head blown off in the 12.30am incident.
By and his family had taken part in a reunion dinner in Taman Seputeh, Luyang, and were celebrating the turn of the year when the incident occurred.
City police chief Assistant Commissioner Ahmad Sofi Zakaria said the deceased was alone in front of the house when he lit the fireworks.
It is understood By had placed the fireworks inside a tube which he was using as a launcher. When it did not go off, he had walked towards to the tube to check.
Just as he reached the tube, the fireworks blew up.
Family members found By's lifeless body shortly after.
Ahmad Sofi classified the case as sudden death, but stressed that possession of fireworks or firecrackers was an offence.
"The police will continue to monitor shops or individuals selling fireworks and will take action against them," he said.
In Sitiawan, Perak, a Chinese New Year celebration among devotees at a temple in Jalan Pantai here, took a tragic turn when a box of fireworks exploded and injured three men.
In the incident which occurred just after midnight on Monday, 34-year-old Sim Kit Chong suffered serious burns and lacerations on his head.
He was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit at Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital in Ipoh and underwent a 13-hour surgery to remove fireworks shrapnel from his wounds.
Temple committee treasurer, Goh Meng San, 65, suffered injuries on his face and hands, while the third victim, a 30-year-old man, who had yet to be identified, suffered injuries on his right leg. Both received outpatient treatment at Manjung Hospital.
It was learnt that a box containing fireworks which had been left on the road, suddenly caught fire and exploded, causing chaos among the crowd.
