Truro Fire Department Safety Announcement for Holiday Weekend

Be Smart...

Leave Fireworks

to the Professionals

Enjoy Supervised Professional Fireworks Displays

Local fire departments supervise professional fireworks displays all over Massachusetts. Unfortunately, children and adults continue to set off illegal 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 a 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 on July 4, 1993, when 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 fireworks.” Class C fireworks include sparklers, party poppers, snappers, firecrackers, spinners, cherry bombs and more. Sparklers burn at 1800ºF.

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 Online Catalogs

Do not purchase fireworks by mail. Government cannot prohibit the advertising and sale of fireworks by mail, but police do confiscate illegal shipments of fireworks. Many consumers attempting to circumvent the law have lost both their money and their fireworks.

Set a Good Example for Children

Children imitate adults. If you use fireworks, children will copy you, not realizing how very dangerous fireworks are. Fifty-one percent of fireworks-related burn injuries reported by hospitals to the Office of the State Fire Marshal in the last 10 years (2006-2015) were to children under age 18. More than a quarter of the victims, (26%), were children under age 10.

Fires Caused by Fireworks

In the past decade (2006-2015) there have been 775 major fire and explosion incidents involving illegal fireworks reported to the Massachusetts Fire Incident Reporting System (MFIRS). The incidents caused 11 civilian injuries, four fire service injuries, and an estimated dollar loss of $1.8 million, which is high considering most fireworks fires are outdoor brush fires.

• On June 27, 2015, the Brewster Fire Department responded to a 2-acre grass fire that was started by fireworks. It took companies almost an hour and a half to extinguish the fire.

• On July 4, 2015, the Boston Fire Department was called to a fire on one of the launch barges for the city’s fireworks display. Crews were on the scene for over two and a half hours.

• On July 4, 2015, the Brockton Fire Department responded to a fire in a pick-up truck that was started by fireworks. The owner had set off fireworks in his driveway. He waited 15 minutes for them to cool and then put the debris into the plastic-lined bed of his truck.

• On July 5, 2015, the Chelsea Fire Department responded to a structure fire that was started by fireworks.

Burns Caused by Fireworks

In the past decade (2006-2015), 47 people were treated at Massachusetts emergency rooms for severe burn injuries from fireworks (burns covering 5% of more of the body) according to the Massachusetts Burn Injury Reporting System (M-BIRS). Fifty-three percent of the victims were children and youths under age 25. These victims are scarred for life.

• On July 4, 2015, a 23-year old Saugus man received burn and shrapnel injuries to his face and chest as well as multiple finger amputations to his left hand after a commercial grade firework exploded in his backyard.

• On July 4, 2015, a 48-year old Boylston man received burns to his legs after empty mortar-style fireworks boxes were thrown into a bonfire. An unexploded firework ignited and struck him in the legs.

• On July 5, 2015, a 9-year old Boston boy received burns to 15% of his body and lost one of his hands when the fireworks he was holding exploded. His 5-year old friend was also injured.