HomeMy Public PortalAboutLeave Fireworks to the Pros (May, 2009)Be Smart...
Leave the Fireworks
to the professionals
Enjoy the many supervised professional displays!
All across the state there are many professional fireworks displays supervised
by local fire departments. Unfortunately, too many children and adult amateurs
continue to set off fireworks that start fires, and cause serious injuries to
themselves and others.
Fireworks can be deadly!
A 45 -year old Gloucester woman died in a December 22, 2003 house fire when someone threw fireworks
and ignited the Christmas tree in the living room. Three other people were injured. On May 20, 1997 a
26 -year old man from Watertown was killed while he was lighting fireworks in a hallway. A 27 -year old
Framingham man was killed July 4, 1993, when his backyard fireworks exploded in his face. On July 4,
1992, fireworks fatally injured a 30 -year old man on a Fairhaven beach.
All fireworks are illegal in Massachusetts.
The possession and use of all fireworks by private citizens is illegal in Massachusetts. This includes
Class C fireworks which are sometimes falsely called "safe and sane" such as sparklers, party poppers,
snappers, firecrackers, spinners and cherry bombs, to name a few. Sparklers burn at 1800°F.
It is illegal to transport fireworks into Massachusetts, even if they were purchased legally elsewhere. Illegal
fireworks can be confiscated on the spot.
Do not purchase fireworks through mail-order or on-line catalogues.
The distribution of mail-order catalogues that clearly state that fireworks
are illegal in some jurisdictions cannot be prohibited. State and local police
regularly confiscate illegal shipments of fireworks into Massachusetts. Many
unhappy consumers have lost both their money and the fireworks trying to
circumvent the law.
Set a good example for your children.
Children imitate what they see adults do.
If you use fireworks children will imitate you, not realizing how very dangerous
they are. Over sixty percent of the fireworks -related burn injuries reported by
hospitals to the Office of the State Fire Marshal were children under age 18.
(over)
FireFACTORS
Office of the State Fire Marshal • Department of Fire Services
P.O. Box 1025 State Road Stow, MA 01775 (978) 567-3300 www.mass.gov/dfs
•
DFS • May '09
MFIRS facts! * )*
/
In the past decade (1999-2008) there have been 713 major fire
and explosion incidents involving illegal fireworks reported to the
Massachusetts Fire Incident Reporting System (MFIRS). These 713 ���
fires and explosions caused one death, 14 civilian injuries, nine fire *� li
—
service injuries, and an estimated dollar loss of $1.6 million. This is ��
e a substantial amount since most fireworks related fires are outside
;h fires and do not usually have high loss figures. A majority of these fires
occ
9 9
urred during the week of the Fourth of July holiday. *
• On July 4, 2008, the Leominster Fire Department was dispatched to an EMS ) * )
call for a toddler injured by fireworks. A 3 -year old boy suffered burns to his inner
thighs an face. He was watching his father set off fireworks when the bucket holding
them tipped over and shot them at the victim, striking and injuring him.
• On July 5, 2008, the Wareham Fire Department was called to two separate fire incidents started
by people shooting illegal fireworks and igniting the exterior of homes. One of these fires in turn
ignited another outside fire.
• On July 5, 2008, the Sturbridge Fire Department was called to a local pond for explosives
removal and to provide emergency medical services to 17 -year old boy. An illegal fireworks
display was being held on the beach and was being watched by the victim and about 200
others. One of the fireworks fell over and fired into the crowd delivering second and third degree
burns to the young man's thighs.
• On April 2, 2009, the Holden Fire Department was called to a structure fire started by a 15 -year
old boy using fireworks that ignited the exterior wall of a single family home. A passerby noticed
the fire and called 911. Damages were estimated to be $1,000. The police seized a suitcase of
unused fireworks bought in another state and illegally brought into Massachusetts.
• On April 17, 2008, a 12 -year old boy started a fire in the woods in Foxboro using fireworks that
caused $3, 500 in damages.
M-BIRS facts!
• In the past decade (1999-2008), 45 people have been treated at Massachusetts emergency
rooms for severe burn injuries from fireworks — burns covering 5% of more of the body. Sixty-
four percent (64%), of the victims were children under the age of 18. Over one-third were
children under 14. During the last 10 years the oldest reported person injured by fireworks was
a 42 -year old man and the youngest was a 2 -year old boy.
• On July 4, 2008, a 40 -year old Falmouth man received
first and second degree burns to over 7% of his body
when a bottle rocket ignited his clothing.
• On July 4, 2008, a 26 -year old man was injured in
Scituate when the firework we has using hit him in the
head and exploded.
• On July 12, 2008, a 12 -year old in Lynn was burned
on his face, arms and legs. He was removing the black
powder from fireworks and striking it with a rock.