Bristol reader recounts firework accident that split his eyeball

Robert Stott was flung 10 feet across a car park after a firework rocket detonated instantly without a fuse. The accident occurred in September 2024 while the 40-year-old landscape gardener prepared for his niece’s 21st birthday celebration. Stott, who lives in Darlington, County Durham, issued a warning this week for residents planning to use fireworks during the upcoming Bonfire Night holiday.

Stott purchased the fireworks to provide a surprise finale for his family event. He successfully lit the first set of devices in the parking area. When he moved to the rocket designed to launch a heart shape into the sky, he pulled the plastic sleeve off and leaned over a fence to ignite it. Stott stated he did not realize the fuse was missing until the device sparked. He described hearing a hiss before the immediate explosion.

The blast launched the 6-foot-5-inch, 20-stone man across the pavement. He was knocked unconscious on impact. His family described the scene as resembling a horror movie. Stott was rushed to Darlington Memorial Hospital with severe injuries. Doctors treated his right eyeball, which had split open due to the force of the blast. The injury detached his retina and blew the pupil and iris backward.

Stott said he was millimeters from death. He lost the corner of his iris and nearly a quarter of his eye was split open. He stated that without immediate hospital treatment, he would have been blinded. He now requires glasses, a necessity he did not have before the accident. The explosion also caused cuts to his ear, forehead, and cheek. He sustained a hole in his right leg, leaving a permanent scar.

Medical staff told Stott that the blast moved his brain, pressing on the front left side where memory is processed. He experienced short-term memory loss as a result. He was unable to work for six months during his recovery period. Doctors told him in the hospital that he would start forgetting things over time.

Stott now avoids attending firework shows to prevent further trauma. He watches television with headphones on during Bonfire Night instead. He advises others to leave the lighting of fireworks to trained professionals. He noted that accidents can happen even when fireworks are bought from proper shops. He urges people to watch professional displays rather than buy their own sets.

The incident has changed Stott’s relationship with the holiday he loved growing up. He remains grateful to see his children grow up. His primary advice to others is to not buy fireworks for home use. He believes that if the work is not done by fully trained people, accidents like his can occur.