Mum killed by stray firework that got stuck in her clothes and exploded on New Year’s Eve
5 January 2023, 11:29
A young mother was killed when a wayward firework hit her in the chest and got stuck in her clothes, while at a New Year's Eve party.
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Elisangela Tinem, a mother of two, was hit by the firework, which exploded in a huge fireball, on the beach in Praia Grand in Brazil.
Shocking footage shows the pyrotechnic shooting down the clothes of Ms Tinem, 38, and exploding before she could remove it.
Her horrified family looked on in horror as the tragedy unfolded in front of them, with her sister and cousin frantically trying to help her pull out the firework.
Ms Tinem died of the wounds caused by the burning object, while cousin Alexander Freitas Goncalves suffered minor injuries.
Her sister Tamiris described Ms Tinem's death as "the worst scene of our entire lives."
"We couldn't get that scene out of our head," she told local outlet Noticias.
"It was a huge flash and an extremely loud noise, and when the smoke cleared, we saw my sister falling to the ground with her arms outstretched, already lifeless," she added.
"The rocket exploded in her body and we saw everything. It was in a matter of seconds, we couldn't or didn't have time to do anything, nor did she herself have a chance to save herself."
A manslaughter investigation is now underway, with police hunting for the culprit who launched the errant firework.
Ms Tinem leaves behind two sons João Victor, 18, and Vinicius, 13.
Bystander Luiza Ferreira, 20, said that there were several unauthorised firework displays on the beach.
She said: "I saw a huge flash just as it turned midnight and I was hugging my mum and then everyone started screaming.
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"I saw a woman lying on the ground bleeding when I went to look and the boy who was with her was also on the ground.
"Other people were running to get away from the area."
