Exploding flare hurts boy, eight

An eight-year-old boy was injured by an explosive he found in a rubbish dump near his home in Sai Kung yesterday afternoon.

The boy and a six-year-old girl were playing near 101 Che Keng Tuk Road at about 4pm when they found a travelling bag covered by carpet.

The boy opened the bag and found a signal flare, which exploded.

He was taken to United Christian Hospital where doctors said about 20 per cent of both thighs were burned. His condition was listed as stable last night.

Police later found nine other signal flares at the scene.

Each was about 20cm long with warnings in English and German.

Although they had technically expired, they were still potentially explosive, police said.