Odd News: Two Los Angeles Students Lose Fingers in Tug--OF-War

Photo by Craig Marren

It turns out that tug - of - war can be a dangerous game.

Los Angeles - On Monday two high school students, boy and a girl lost their fingers while participating in a tug - of -war game during lunchtime at El Monte High school, officials told Reuters.   

The students were competing  against each other and somehow the rope snapped amputating the fingers of two students. Los Angeles County supervising fire dispatcher, Eddie Pickett told NBC News that a male student lost four fingers on his right hand while a female student lost four fingers on her right hand and a thumb on her left hand.  However, CBS News reports that the girl lost three fingers on her right hand and two fingers on her left hand.  

According to CBS News the student were identified by their classmates as Edith Rodrigues and Pablo Ocegueda.  Both victims are under the age of 18.

Both teenagers undergone hours of surgery but there is no information at this time whether the doctors were able to reattach the fingers.  

Nick J. Salerno, El Monte Union High School District Superintendent said "I've never heard of anything like this happening…..It's unbelievable to me , it's shocking."  

However, the accidents like this happened before.  In Minnesota a girl lost four finger during a tug - of - war game in 2008.  The fingers were still attached by tendons and were successfully reattached.

In Colorado, two high school students had their right hands partially severed during a  tug - of - war at pep rally in 2007.






 Sources:  Reuters, NBC News, CBS News, Fox8