TEHRAN, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Five people were killed and 91 others injured in Iran during Feb. 20-March 1 in incidents caused by the explosion of fireworks ahead of the upcoming Fire Festival in the country, the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA) reported on Saturday.

The number of deaths has doubled compared to last year, while injuries have increased by 57 percent, the ISNA quoted Jafar Miadfar, head of Iran's Medical Emergency Organization, as saying.

He specified that one of the deaths had occurred in the Iranian capital, Tehran, while the other four were in the northwestern province of West Azarbaijan.

Miadfar said among the injured, 15 people underwent amputations, 31 suffered eye injuries, and 41 sustained burns.

Accidents caused by fireworks are more frequent in Iran in the days leading up to the traditional Fire Festival, celebrated by Iranians on the eve of the last Wednesday before Nowruz, the Iranian New Year, which falls on March 20 this year. The Fire Festival will be celebrated on March 12 this year. Enditem

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