Man who lost arm to fireworks in critical condition

A man who lost his left arm to illegal fireworks in Islip Terrace remained hospitalized in critical but stable condition in the intensive care unit at Nassau University Medical Center, a hospital official said.

Suffolk police had no comment Sunday on the condition of Eric Smith, 36, who had been shooting mortars from a 3-foot metal tube in the street in front of his Fairview Avenue home about 5:45 p.m. Saturday when he was injured, police said.

A source close to the investigation said surgeons could not reattach his arm, which was blown off at the shoulder, because of the nature of the injury.

A family member, who declined to be identified, said later in the day, "We appreciate your concern; he's in the ICU and stable, and that's all the information we want to give out at this time."

Surgeons on Saturday night had tried to reattach Smith's left arm.

"As the explosive shot out of the launcher, it struck Mr. Smith in his left arm, completely severing it from his shoulder," a police spokesman said.

"We believe he leaned over to ignite it, and didn't get out of the way in time and it blew off his left arm," the spokesman said.

Smith's family and friends packed the arm in a cooler and sent it with Smith to Southside Hospital in Bay Shore, where Smith was in serious condition, police said.

He was later transferred to NUMC, in East Meadow, hospital spokeswoman Shelley Lotenberg said.

With Jennifer Barrios