December 20, Vitebsk /Olga Bogacheva - BELTA/. Approximately 8,000 pyrotechnic items have been seized in Vitebsk over 10 days, Vladimir Pranko, Deputy Head of the Public Order Protection and Prevention Department of the Internal Affairs Directorate of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, informed a BELTA correspondent. Work to prevent the illegal distribution of pyrotechnic items has been underway in the region since December 10. Uncertified products were seized in Braslav District, and in Oktyabrsky, Zheleznodorozhny, and Pervomaysky districts of Vitebsk. Pyrotechnics were confiscated from both minors and negligent sellers. Police officers are conducting active informational work in educational institutions. "First and foremost, the sale of pyrotechnic items is targeted at teenagers, so law enforcement officers are currently paying the closest attention to schoolchildren: during discussions, information about the dangers of using pyrotechnics is conveyed to the children, and in turn, they help identify illegal points of sale," noted Vladimir Pranko. It is possible to celebrate the New Year with fireworks; however, it is necessary to remember and observe basic safety rules that will help avoid injuries and property damage. When purchasing pyrotechnic items, it is necessary to ensure that the seller has the relevant certificates for them and to carefully read the instructions for use. The lack of attention to these issues caused several accidents in the Vitebsk region during the past winter holidays. For example, in the settlement of Oktyabrsky, Vitebsk District, a two-year-old girl was injured by an exploding firecracker, and residents of Gluboksky District and Novolukoml sought medical attention for injuries of varying severity. -0-

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