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Florida boy, 12, 'blew hand off' in Lake Placid fireworks accident

Posted at 11:59 AM, Jul 05, 2016
and last updated 2016-07-06 05:57:57-04

A Florida boy attempting to throw a lit firework after dark Monday severely injured his hand and will likely lose parts of multiple fingers, according to Highlands County officials. 

The young boy, 12, and his friends were lighting off fireworks on Josephine Avenue in Lake Placid when one went off before he could throw it away from his body.

A caller told Highlands County dispatch the boy "blew his hand off."

A medical helicopter took the boy to Tampa General Hospital, where he underwent surgery and was in stable condition as of early Tuesday.

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Editor's note: The photo above is a stock photo courtesy Getty Images and does not depict the specific firework used in this incident.