Fireworks blamed in Arlington fire

Published 10:21 pm Wednesday, September 2, 2009

ARLINGTON — Illegal fireworks sparked a blaze in Arlington on Wednesday that burned more than 1,000 square feet on the north end of the municipal airport.

Arlington firefighters stifled the flames shortly after the fire began at 1:15 p.m.

A man who lives near the airport started the fire; then tried to extinguish the blaze with a garden hose, Fire Captain Jason Nyblod said. When that didn’t work, he called the fire department.

“Arlington residents need to remember that fireworks are not to be discharged except on the Fourth of July and New Year’s Eve,” Nyblod said in a prepared statement. “This fire could have been much worse if the resident had not contacted the fire department so quickly.”