Czech man suffers serious injuries trying to blast garden mole with fireworks

There’s no doubt that moles can be a serious annoyance for gardeners in the Czech Republic. Many a frustrated homeowner has been driven to distraction by the small underground dwellers dotting their neat lawns with unsightly molehills.

Still, most don’t resort to the extreme measures taken by a man in České Budějovice this Wednesday, who illegally purchased high-strength fireworks and detonated them inside a molehill in an attempt to settle his struggle with mother nature once and for all.

The man was left with serious injuries after inserting F4-type “DUM BUM” fireworks, classified as only for use by professionals, into a molehill, holding them down with concrete tiles, and standing on top. Police who arrived on the scene shortly afterward found a meter-deep crater in the garden, pieces of broken concrete lying up to 20 meters away from the blast site, and traces of blood streaking the floor.

Neighbors heard a large explosion and reported seeing white smoke rising from the garden. The police said the site resembled the detonation of military ammunition or the aftermath of a landmine blast.

Unsurprisingly, given that the recommended safe distance for detonating this kind of fireworks is at least 25 meters, the man was rushed to hospital with serious injuries to his lower limbs, including two broken legs. The man is still in the care of doctors.

With the festive season approaching, police warned the public against the misuse of fireworks, pointing out the near-tragic nature of events in České Budějovice as evidence of the serious injuries which can result from the wrong handling of pyrotechnics by those without professional expertise.

“With New Year’s Eve celebrations approaching, let’s be sensible: only buy fireworks in brick-and-mortar stores and strictly follow their handling instructions,” said local police spokesperson Jiří Matzner.

Czech President Milos Zeman recently signed into law legislation against letting off fireworks during sports events. Anyone doing so faces fines of up to CZK 100,000 or even stadium bans. The law is expected to come into effect from February 1.