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Mass. hospitals report at least 12 patients with snowblower-related injuries in past two days

A person used a snowblower to clear a driveway after the first major winter storm of the season Tuesday in North Andover. Since the storm, at least 12 Massachusetts residents have gone to the hospital with snowblower-related injuries.Elise Amendola/AP/Associated Press

After the first major winter storm of the season, at least 12 people across Massachusetts have gone to the hospital after injuring their hands while using a snow blower, officials said.

Lahey Hospital and Medical Center in Burlington has seen seven of these injuries, said Dan Marra, a spokesman for the hospital. One came in Monday, the other six on Tuesday.

“Most of them are cuts, lacerations,” he said. “Every once in a while you will get someone who has lost their finger completely.” At least one of the seven injured lost a finger, he said.

Brigham and Women’s Hospital has seen two hand injuries from snow blowers in the past 24 hours, Mark Murphy, a spokesman said early Wednesday afternoon.

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UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester saw three of the injuries on Monday, Tony Berry, a hospital spokesman, said.

While it was not clear if Massachusetts General Hospital saw any snow blower-related injuries, the hospital tweeted a reminder about the dangers of the snow-clearing machine.

“In keeping with tradition, we offer the following reminder on behalf of our [emergency department] staff: Please, please, please never stick hands in snow blowers,” the tweet said.

Tuesday morning, firefighters in Lawrence helped a man remove his hand from a snow blower chute and then finished clearing the man’s driveway.

Lawrence Fire Chief Brian Moriarty, who has been a paramedic for more than 30 years, said the call for a hand stuck in a snow blower is not a rare one.

“It happens every snowstorm. It’s a very common occurrence, although it shouldn’t be,” he said. “Every storm, someone thinks they can put their hands in the chute.”


Maria Lovato can be reached at maria.lovato@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @maria_lovato99.