The State Fire Marshal’s Office last year received 1,236 reports of fires and injuries related to fireworks, and officials hope the sobering statistic will remind revelers to put safety first this weekend.
A total of 200 of the reported incidents were injuries, according to the fire marshal’s data. The majority happened on the Fourth of July and were caused by boys between 8 and 14 years old.
Supervising children is key to reducing incidents like these, said Capt. Jason Berry, fire marshal’s spokesman.
Other tips:
Don’t tamper with fireworks or try to make them at home. Last year, 14 people were injured as a result of tampering with fireworks. Between 2006 and 2009, 40 school fires also were reported, causing more than $8 million in damage.
Incidents recorded by the Fire Marshal’s Office last year include:
89 house fires, totaling more than $5,300,000 in damage; nine caused by legal fireworks, 15 by illegal devices and the rest by an unknown type of firework;
105 fires and 91 injuries caused by devices illegal in Washington;
Six fires and explosions, and three injuries caused by sparkler bombs. These are considered explosives, not fireworks. The injuries include metal puncture wounds and burns from the hot metal, trauma and burns to the hands, face, legs and chest.
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