Midsummer holidays end dramatically: medics report most common accidents

According to EMS representative Miks Dūcis, the overall workload during the holidays remained at normal levels – an average of 800 to 900 calls per day, and the distribution of illnesses and injuries was similar to regular days.

However, the period was marked by serious incidents. There were five drownings, and several other patients were treated after near-drowning episodes. Four quad bike accidents resulted in one death and three serious injuries.

Specific holiday-related incidents included four cases of severe choking on shashlik. In two of these, bystanders successfully performed resuscitation following instructions from the 113 dispatcher. Five people sustained burns from bonfires and grills – four adults who jumped over a fire or lit it, and one child who burned a shoulder on a hot grill.

Two people (an adult and a child) were injured while using lawnmowers. Another person suffered severe burns while cutting down Sosnowsky's hogweed. Dūcis noted that a large proportion of the accidents, including several criminal injuries from domestic conflicts, occurred under the influence of alcohol.