OSLO, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- A 24-year-old man has died following a tragic fireworks accident on New Year's Eve in Odense, Funen Island, Denmark, according to local authorities.
The accident occurred shortly after midnight, and the man was initially declared in critical condition but succumbed to his injuries shortly after arriving at the emergency room, Morten Schultz Larsen, senior physician at Odense University Hospital, confirmed.
"The firework exploded directly into the young man's head," Larsen told national broadcaster DR. "It was an extremely serious injury, even for us who are accustomed to dealing with critical cases."
The hospital's preliminary findings suggest the man was using homemade fireworks.
The Funen Police have launched an investigation into the incident. Duty manager Torben Jakobsen said that several people were present during the accident and that another individual sustained minor injuries.
In a separate incident on New Year's Eve, two boys were injured after shooting at each other with fireworks, one of whom sustained a serious eye injury. He is among seven children and young people under the age of 18 who suffered eye injuries from fireworks-related incidents, according to Kristian Kemp, senior physician at Rigshospitalet's Eye Clinic.
Nationwide in Denmark, a total of 22 people sustained eye injuries during New Year's celebrations, said Kemp.
