Firecracker explosion sends boy flying A little boy’s playful act of throwing a firecracker into a sewer led to a small blast, causing momentary panic in Nanchong, southwest China’s Sichuan Province. The entire incident was captured by a community surveillance video camera. The boy was shown dropping the firecracker into a sewer and within seconds there was an explosion, strong enough to blow off the manhole cover. Though the boy got knocked down, he was unhurt. Local residents were seen running away from the site, and no one was reported to be injured. Local police had warned before the Spring Festival holiday that children must be accompanied by their parents when setting off firecrackers, and that they should only be launched in open areas with few people around to avoid accidents. The Ministry of Public Security said that police nationwide have dealt with 203 pyrotechnic cases since December and a total of 419 suspects have been taken into custody. The statement also advised the public to reduce the use of fireworks for safety and environmental reasons.