Man in serious but stable condition after cracker night explosion

A man is still in a serious condition in Royal Darwin Hospital after a firework exploded in his face on Cracker Night.

A MAN is still in a serious condition in Royal Darwin Hospital after a firework exploded in his face on Cracker Night.

The man in his 50s, who was one of five firework related call outs on Territory Day, was initially taken to hospital in a critical condition.

St John NT ambulance services reported the man went to relight a large cracker when it exploded in his face.

He was urgently transported to hospital with an intensive care paramedic.

He remains in hospital, but he has improved to a serious but stable condition.

Man critical from rogue cracker as St John respond to five call-outs

A MAN is fighting for his life in the Royal Darwin Hospital after having a firework “explode in his face”.

It was one of five Cracker Night-related call outs across the Territory, three of which were in the Top End.

St John NT ambulance services director Andrew Thomas said the man, in his 50s, went to relight the “large” cracker when it exploded.

Ambulance crews were dispatched to the Darwin rural area before 9pm to treat him.

He was in a serious to critical condition.

“He was transported with an intensive care paramedic urgently through to Darwin Hospital,” Mr Thomas said.

Crews also responded to another call-out in the rural area after a woman in her early 50s fell off a roof while watching fireworks.

She fell three metres and sustained serious chest and head injuries.

Mr Thomas said she was in a serious condition.

St John Ambulance NT director of ambulance services Andrew Thomas said it was a busy night for ambulance crews. Picture: Che Chorley

Another lady in her 40s in Darwin needed treatment for pre-existing respiratory conditions after a firecracker flew into her home through a window. She was not seriously injured.

In Alice Springs, a woman in her 20s was treated for burns after a firecracker exploded in her hands.

She was transported to the Alice Springs Hospital but was not seriously injured.

In Tennant Creek, a 30-year-old man was left in pain after a firecracker exploded next to his ear as he returned home.

Mr Thomas said Friday’s Territory Day celebrations were busier than in 2021, when festivities were somewhat quieter.

“Territory day is a great day to celebrate, and we’d like to thank the community for in the main part being responsible,” he said.

“Thanks to our crews and volunteers.”

Clean up after night of chaos

Hundreds of people raced against the rising tide to collect rubbish along Darwin’s foreshore following cracker night.

At Fannie Bay a number of the bins had been set alight, while empty firework shells were washed out to sea.

Sarah, a member of the Fannie Bay Equestrian Club, volunteered her morning to help clean up.

“I don’t like all the rubbish obviously, I wish council would put a sign up please take all your rubbish home,” she said.

“Personally, I would probably prefer not to have it (cracker night), it frightens all the pets and animals.”

Belinda Jennings as Members of the Council and the Rotary club during the Territory Day clean up at Fannie Bay after Cracker Night. Picture: Glenn Campbell

Both Rotary Darwin and Girl Guides were also engaged to assist Darwin City Council in the clean up.

Rotary Darwin Sunrise volunteer Nil Dilushan said he thinks the rubbish is getting less each year but people need to be better with glass and crackers.

“I want to remind people of glass bottles in public spaces, this is where kids play,” he said.

“Cracker night is not environmentally friendly, especially when it all goes into the ocean, maybe we should have a specific place rather than every where around darwin.”

Mr Dilushan said if the council made it only in specific spots it would help maintain the “foreshore where we all live and love”.

Darwin City Council on Saturday indicated a widespread clean-up was underway, and they would have a better grasp on how much rubbish was collected in coming days.

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