Fire Department Preparing For Likelihood Of Fires From Illegal July 4th Fireworks Displays
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Just about all kinds of fireworks are illegal in Chicago, but that certainly doesn't stop lots of people from shooting them off for the 4th of July every year, so the Fire Department will be watching closely for the problems that always result.
Fireworks are only allowed at licensed performances, such as those at Navy Pier, but firefighters in pretty much every neighborhood end up putting out fires started by illegal fireworks displays; especially in parks, but also in people's back yards, in empty lots, and even on porches.
"We don't like it. … It's unsafe. Of course, it's illegal," said Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford. "The other side of it is house fires. People use these aerial rockets. They go up in the air. They sometimes come down on rooftops, or in porches, and they sit there and they smolder, and then the next thing you know, you've got a fire an hour and a half later."
There's more danger than just setting something on fire.
"It's dangerous to people who attend these things. Every year, we end up with injuries from either people using fireworks themselves, or attending one of these unlicensed performances, because sometimes the aerial rockets fall over; they shoot into the crowd," Langford said.
He said there's also concern about people intentionally shooting fireworks at each other, such as a recent video showing young people in the Garfield Park neighborhood dueling with roman candles, the tubelike fireworks that shoot fireballs.
Firefighters stress fireworks can set clothing on fire, cause severe burns, or even blind someone.
Langford said, if you do watch a neighborhood fireworks display, do it from a distance.
The only kinds of fireworks allowed in Illinois aren't really fireworks, but are novelty items without much explosive material, like smoke bombs, party poppers, glow worm pellets, or sparklers.