MARYSVILLE — Neighbors in Marysville didn’t hesitate to report violations of the city’s new fireworks ban.
Complaints about the devices nearly tripled in the city during the Fourth of July compared to the holiday last year, according to 911 data. Marysville officers received 238 reports.
They say, however, they saw a drop in the total incidents in the week leading up to the Fourth, which is typically busy.
“We had fewer fireworks going off in city limits but since the ban was in effect this year, people were more likely to call than in previous years,” Cmdr. Mark Thomas said.
In Snohomish County, dispatchers received more than 1,000 calls about fireworks. Calls were made to 911, but there also was a non-emergency number this year.
In some ways, the Fourth proved calmer than usual. That doesn’t mean it was quiet.
Providence Regional Medical Center Everett treated fewer fireworks patients than last year. Doctors helped two kids and four adults as of Wednesday morning. Most had burns, cuts or eye injuries, according to the hospital. One person suffered hearing loss. Cascade Valley Hospital in Arlington also treated two patients.
As of Wednesday, Harborview Medical Center in Seattle had treated 32 people for fireworks injuries around the region. Most had hand trauma from shells or mortars.
Buildings caught fire in Snohomish and Monroe. Officials say fireworks might have been a factor in both cases.
One was reported at 9:23 p.m on Old Owen Road. The homeowners weren’t present, said Heather Chadwick, with Snohomish County Fire District 7.
The fire apparently started in a tree and moved into the attic. Damage was estimated at $75,000.
In Snohomish, a fire in an outbuilding along Pine Avenue spread to a garage and destroyed a power boat before 12:30 a.m. Wednesday. A 33-year-old man suffered burns. The cause of the flames is unknown. Fireworks debris was in the yard, Fire Chief Ron Simmons said. Damage was estimated at $19,000.
Once it got dark Tuesday, “the entire east county had just about every (fire) station moving constantly,” he said.
Firefighters in Arlington, meanwhile, extinguished six brush fires that were sparked by fireworks.
In Everett, where fireworks are illegal, police received 192 complaints. Officers confiscated about 90 pounds of fireworks and cited two people. The Everett Fire Department had more than a dozen reports of fires, though not all were serious. In one case, flames were crawling up an outer wall of a business but were stopped in time. A car, a trash bin and two bushes also ignited. Many of the incidents were related to fireworks, officials said.
Personal fireworks are banned in Lynnwood, too. Police there responded to 76 fireworks calls, In most cases, people had stopped or left when officers arrived, Deputy Chief Jim Nelson said.
Nearly 40 fires were reported in Fire District 1, serving areas south of Everett and much of suburban southwest county. None were major but some caused damage.
“That’s about double what we typically see in one week,” spokeswoman Leslie Hynes said.
Caitlin Tompkins: 425-339-3192; ctompkins@heraldnet.com.
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