Woman left injured after eating firecracker she thought was candy
A woman was left injured after chewing on a firecracker that she thought was candy, unexpectly exploding in her mouth.
According to a report by South China Morning Post, the woman surnamed Wu said the firecrackers looked like milk munchies.
They're known as shuang pao or "smash firecracker" in China, which "ignites without the need for a flame and can explode with a loud 'pop' simply by being dropped or subjected to pressure, such as being stepped on," per the media outlet.
Wu, who is from Chengdu in Sichuan province, told Elephant News that the product was from her younger brother.
"I was watching TV at home with the lights off in the living room when my brother returned with a bag of snacks. I thought it resembled the taro milk candies I enjoyed as a child, so I opened one and put it in my mouth. That is when it exploded," she recalled.
"At that moment, I was stunned. To be honest, I did not feel any pain; I just detected the smell of gunpowder in my mouth. Perhaps I was numb because, despite the explosion, I felt no discomfort while eating or brushing my teeth," added Wu.
Wu was left with mouth injuries. It's unclear whether she needed to go to the hospital for medical assistance.
SCMP reported that the incident raised concerns about the way firecrackers like shuang pao are being packaged.
"This is genuinely concerning. The packaging closely resembles food, making it easy to confuse and accidentally consume, which poses significant dangers. It should clearly bear a ‘hazardous materials’ label," a social media user said.
Another one, however, said that it was designed to avoid moisture during transport. "When I bought them last year, I thought it was an ingenious way to prevent moisture and explosions during transport. The capsule design seemed practical, but I did not foresee someone mistaking it for confectionery."
