COLUMBIA -- A fireworks accident east of Columbia has left two boys with badly injured hands.

The Columbia Daily Tribune reported that boys' hands appeared to be missing portions of flesh, including fingers. The 14- and 11-year-old were taken to University Hospital.

Sgt. David Alexander of the Boone County Sheriff's Department says the explosion happened Friday night while the victims apparently were attempting to stuff a large firework into a nearby pipe.

He says one of the boys was holding the device while the other attempted to light it. The large bottle rocket was believed to be a dud because the wooden portion meant to stabilize it in a bottle was broken off.

The short fuse burned faster than expected and exploded.