Watusi (firework)

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A watusi is a type of Christmas firework that is popular in the Philippines. [1] Its ingredients are yellow phosphorus, potassium chlorate, potassium nitrate, and trinitrotoluene. [2] [3]

The ingredients in the firework are highly toxic, and ingestion can lead to painful death. [4] In particular, children have been killed by watusi fireworks after sucking on them or mistaking them for sweets. [2] The yellow phosphorus, the most dangerous component of the watusi, may explode and rip apart the esophagus when ingested. [5] The Department of Health is attempting to forbid watusi, [6] [2] because it caused hundreds of children to die of phosphorus poisoning. [7]

References

  1. ↑ Duncan Alexander McKenzie R.N. (11 August 2014). The Philippines: Dangers and Health Risks. Lulu.com. pp. 33–. ISBN   978-1-312-42625-2.
  2. 1 2 3 Wallerstein, C (1999). "Christmas firework "sweets" kill hundreds of children". BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.). 319 (7219): 1222. doi:10.1136/bmj.319.7219.1222a. PMC   1117016 . PMID   10550079. (PMC link)
  3. ↑ "Warning issued vs watusi". Manila Standard. Philippine News Agency. 19 December 1994. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
  4. ↑ Nestor Etolle (2 January 2008). "Man commits suicide by ingesting watusi". philstar.com.
  5. ↑ "Watusi is dangerous". Manila Standard. Reuters. 12 December 1992. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
  6. ↑ "DOH exec eyes ban on children from buying watusi firecracker". GMA News Online. 28 December 2010.
  7. ↑ Michael I. Greenberg (2006). Disaster!: A Compendium of Terrorist, Natural, and Man-Made Catastrophes. Jones & Bartlett Learning. pp. 60–. ISBN   978-0-7637-3989-8.

See also


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