2 L.A. High school students lose fingers during tug-of-war

[proud2BlibKansan]

Authorities in Southern California say a boy and a girl had fingers torn off during a game of tug-of-war at their high school.

Los Angeles County Fire Capt. Miguel Garcia told the San Gabriel Valley Tribune that doctors will try to reattach the fingers belonging to two South El Monte High School students.

School district official Edward Zuniga declined to identify the students, but the Tribune reports the girl is a senior on the soccer team and the boy is a football player.

Zuniga says the students were participating in a lunchtime activity celebrating homecoming Monday.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/02/04/4049458/2-la-students-lose-fingers-during.html#storylink=cpy

[bluedigger]

1. What were they using - fishing line?

That's nuts.

[gollygee]

2. How on earth did that happen?

I agree with the other poster's question - what were they using? Not thick rope I bet.

I hope they fingers are able to be reattached. How awful.

[lonestarnot]

3. crimanettly.

[surrealAmerican]

4. Sometimes a news story is published before it's ready for publication.

This is one of those times. Without more information, this makes no sense at all.

[Jenoch]

6. Newspaper reporting isn't what it used to be.

There are many details missing from this story. "Homecoming"? In February?

[proud2BlibKansan]

9. Winter homecoming

Lots of schools have this.

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. What additional info do you need?

Kids playing tug-of-war lost fingers. End of story.

[surrealAmerican]

13. What were they using for "rope"?

Was it wrapped around their fingers?
Were there adults present?
Whose idea was this game?
Could somebody have stopped this before the kids were injured?
Did anybody try to?
Has this happened before?
... at this school?

There are a lot of questions that should be asked here.

[Sunlei]

5. lets hope they stopped the tug of war to find the fingers.

Saw that happen at a rodeo a cowboy lost his thumb, some of the people were upset they had to stop and search for the thumb in the arena dirt.

never wrap a rope or thin line, of any type around your body parts.

[datasuspect]

7. BAN TUG OF WAR RIGHT FUCKING NOW!!11111

if it will save just one finger, it will be worth it

[Recursion]

8. I used to work on a tall ship

Saw a foot come off once when it was fouled by a cable. Ugh.

[HereSince1628]

12. My guess was the students must have "taken a wrap" of some kind around their finger...

probably not even contemplating that the tug of war could generate over a ton of pressure per square inch on the flesh inside the loop.

[gollygee]

10. Tug of war is usually played with a rope like this

That can't be wrapped around a finger.

My guess is that the rope was thin enough to wrap around fingers, and the kids wrapped them around their fingers to try to get a better grip.

I see liability for the school if the school supplied an inappropriate rope.

[pinboy3niner]

14. Update:

(Another report said the boy lost 4 fingers on one hand; the girl lost 4 fingers on one hand and the thumb on the other.) This update is from a local TV station:

Students Lose Fingers in Game of Tug of War
http://ktla.com/2013/02/05/students-sever-fingers-in-game-of-tug-of-war/

[kentauros]

16. I truly hope the doctors can reattach them.

That's just insane! It creeps me out thinking about it.

[NCTraveler]

19. Per the article.

"Apparently, there are safe ways to have a tug-of-war. According to the International Tug of War Federation, you want to use a particular kind of rope to prevent injuries."

International Tug of War Federation?

[proud2BlibKansan]

21. Wow.

This is a horrible story.

[alp227]

15. Isn't homecoming normally in the FALL? Why in February?

Geez, expect the district to pay a sh__load of attorney's fees & settlement costs.

And this KTLA report suggests this was a spirit week not necessarily homecoming.

[proud2BlibKansan]

18. Some schools have winter homecoming.

Especially if they don't have a football team.

[alp227]

20. This school did have football, and I think the reporter confused fall homecoming with

whatever winter spirit event the school holds (at my HS it was called "Battle of the Classes&quot .

[AngryAmish]

17. That is awful.