Anna Police Warn About Dangers Of Backyard Fireworks
ANNA (CBSDFW.COM) - Anna police are warning about the dangers of lighting your own fireworks after it led to a grass fire less than a hundred yards from homes.
The remnants of a firecracker still litter the ground on County Road 369.
Police say someone lit them last Friday, sparking a grass fire that spread fast charring a patch of cornfield.
The fire was contained quickly but police say it could've ended a lot worse.
"It could've skipped over to the subdivision, which would be the worst case scenario, or across that field close to the school," says Lt. Pete Copin with the Anna Police Department.
About half a mile away is a school. Less than a hundred feet away, is a neighborhood, filled with more than 100 homes. The smoke was so thick it crept into resident Tomas Mireles' home as he watched firefighters put out the flames.
"We could lose our house. We don't have time to be fooling around with fireworks," says Mireles, who's glad the fire department worked quickly, especially because along the road are yellow "gas pipeline" signs planted in the field.
"We've got the gas line there. That thing can blow up and we'll have problems!" he says.
The grass fire is an example of why officials in Anna, and across North Texas are urging people to go see professional shows instead of lighting off their own fireworks.
"They have the permit there to do it and they also have the emergency personnel on standby and the safety equipment necessary."
Tomas says he and his neighbors plan to watch the fireworks from their yards and hopes others will too.
Police say lighting fireworks within city limits could get you a citation and a fine of up to $2,000.
