Bamboo cannon burn: a preventable burn related to cultural events in Sri Lanka.

A bamboo cannon is a homemade reusable firecracker with kerosene oil used as the fuel. A 13-yearold boy suffered burn on face, upper and lower limbs with a TBSA of 25% caused by the blast of a bamboo cannon. Ten percent of the area of both lower limbs required grafting, and the rest healed spontaneously. The burn is in fact a flame burn with kerosene oil from the blasted bamboo acting as the accelerant. A 25% burn with inhalational injury can be potentially lethal. This is made with a 5-foot long segment of mature bamboo, including five compartments. The septa dividing the compartments are perforated preserving one septum at the end, making a barrel with a closed bottom. A small side hole for fuel and air is made about 4 inches from the closed end. This is placed on ground with a slight upward inclination, keeping the open end up. Kerosene oil is poured in and heated with a fire source. A fire stick held over the side hole ignites the heated kerosene vapor. Sudden exploding fire produces the “bang,” because of momentary expansion of air. Barrel dimensions determine the quality to the sound. The emitted smoke probably contains carbon monoxide and fumes of kerosene, often causing irritation of eye, sore throat, light headedness, and cough. A significant burn injury caused by bamboo cannon explosion has not been reported in the medical literature. Bamboo cannons are used in cultural celebrations, and the technical details of production is passed on from generations. These are used in Asian countries with various modifications in design. Although these are not prohibited in Sri Lanka, it is illegal in Malaysia. Prevention of burns associated with cultural events is a priority. Unsupervised handling of fireworks by children should be prohibited.