Tourist’s leg is ‘partially amputated’ by exploding firework in New York’s Central Park

A 19-year-old tourist in Manhattan’s Central Park suffered a severe foot wound on Sunday after an apparent homemade firework exploded when he jumped off a rock and stepped on the device, authorities said.

Police said there was no reason to suspect that the blast, on the eve of Fourth of July celebrations, was the work of extremists or that the explosive object had been designed to hurt anyone.

Investigators said the object was likely fabricated by an amateur fireworks enthusiast for the thrill of creating a loud noise and flash. At least one bystander in the park told CNN the blast sounded “like a cannon.”

Photographs of the injured man, who police said was a student visiting from Virginia with two friends, showed his left foot bandaged and badly mangled as he was being treated by emergency medical technicians on the scene. A Fire Department spokesman categorised the blast as having “partially amputated” the man’s leg.

The man was taken to Bellevue Hospital, where police said he was undergoing surgery and was listed in serious but stable condition. His two companions, aged 18 and 20, were not injured. None was believed to have had anything to do with making the device.

The late-morning explosion occurred when all three men jumped off a rock and the victim landed on top of the object, which had been stashed near the boulder out of the way of normal foot traffic, police said.