Dozens of Victorians injured after using illegal fireworks at New Year’s Eve celebrations

A Victorian woman could lose her eye after an illegal firework struck her in the face in a New Year’s celebration gone horribly wrong.

A Victorian woman could lose her eye after an illegal firework struck her in the face in a New Year’s celebration gone horribly wrong.

The 48-year-old was at Altona Beach when the illicit firework was set off shortly after midnight.

The woman was later taken to hospital with “very serious facial injuries”.

A 20-year-old Truganina man was arrested at the scene but has since been released pending further inquiries.

Assistant Commissioner Mick Grainger said there were 57 illegal firework related incidents in Victoria overnight, but three were “particularly concerning”.

In a separate incident, a 57-year-old woman was taken to hospital after a flare hit the window of her Tootgarook property.

Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner - Michael Grainger

Mr Grainger said it is alleged “some neighbours let go with flares and in an effort to recover those flares and look after her property she was injured”.

The woman was rescued by a member of the public and taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Investigations are ongoing and the fire is being treated as suspicious.

In a third incident, a “terribly serious” fire at a Mill Park home left one man with life-threatening injuries and ten other people were taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

“Emergency services were called to a fire in the garden of a property on Development Boulevard about 11.10pm,” Victoria Police said.

The house in Mill Park where several people were injured in a backyard explosion. Sunday, January 1, 2024. Picture: David Crosling

It is unclear how the fire started but the blaze is not being treated as suspicious at this stage.

Addressing the media early on Monday morning on New Year Eve behaviour, Mr Grainger warned of the dangers of using illicit fireworks as Victoria enters the warmer months.

“I think it’s timely at this time of year, as we head into the warmer months in Victoria to remind people that playing with fire, whether it be fireworks or other items that cause fire, is incredibly dangerous,” Mr Grainger said.

“So I put it to the community, that if you’re prepared to play with those illegal fireworks, be prepared for the consequences of that and that may be that you injure yourself or seriously injure someone else or you damage their property.”

Mr Grainger noted the small number of arrests overnight, with only 33 people arrested in Victoria for assault, drugs and weapon related offences and thanked the public for what was predominantly a night of good behaviour.

“I’d like to thank every member of the community for, in the main, conducting themselves in a way where they had fun and they worked very well with our local police to deliver safe and happy events,” he said.