Doctors freeze man's severed fingers after they're blown off by fireworks

MERRITT ISLAND, Florida -- A man is recovering after his fingers were blown off in an incident involving fireworks this week, WKMG-TV reports.

Ryan Dobard had to be airlifted to a hospital after the Tuesday incident.

A friend says doctors froze the man's fingers and are keeping them at the hospital, hoping to reattach them.

Neighbors say at 9:30 p.m., a group of tenants, including Dobard, were playing with fireworks that were modified with a shorter fuse.

Sherome Cosby says the firework blew up in his friend's hand while he was standing on the second-story balcony.

"He tried to throw it I guess and it blew up before he threw it, right in this hand," Cosby said.

The explosion was so powerful its traces could be seen on the lawn below.