Man Blows Off Part Of Leg With Firework: Police

A North Jersey man blew off part of his left leg at an Independence Day fireworks accident this weekend, authorities said.

The 52-year-old Leonia resident, whose name was not released, lit a large firework but then dropped it, nbcphiladelphia.com reported.

When the device went off, it threw the man back about four feet and blew off ”a large piece” of his left leg below the knee, the website reported; witnesses said the device was about the size of a tennis ball and about equal to the a quarter of a stick of dynamite, NorthJersey.com reported.

The man also suffered second- and third-degree burns to his right leg and a compound fracture in his left; he was taken to Hackensack University Medical Center, according to the NorthJersey.com report.

The man could be criminally charged because fireworks are illegal in New Jersey.

Authorities are investigating the accident, which will take a few days to complete, Leonia Police Chief Tom Rowe told the website.