Crime & Safety
What Dangerous 'Toy' Burns Hotter than Cooking Oil?
Parents routinely tell their kids to be safe around the stove, but then they hand their kids this popular item that burns six times hotter than cooking oil.
The Fourth of July ... the perfect time of year to set off small explosions in your backyard, right?
Wrong.
Massachusetts has some very strict regulations regarding the sale, possession and transport of fireworks, and when you look at the numbers, you'll understand why.
Basically, "The law prohibits any article designed to produce a visible or audible effect," according to a fireworks safety fact sheet published by the state.
The penalties for breaking the law include up to a year in jail for selling fireworks to fines ranging from $10 to $1,000 depending on the situation.
Newton Fire Lt. Eric Fricke said that his department rarely sees blatant fireworks violations among private citizens, but, he pointed out, even professional displays can run into complications.
Last year, Newton's professional display from Albemarle Park was one of several professional shows throughout the state that apparently included some "bad fireworks" that failed to explode.
"Fortunately, we have big open area where we do the show," Fricke said. "The unexploded shells that they found were still in the park and not in somebody's backyard or drifted across into the road."
But even the so-called "safe and sane" fireworks can be extremely dangerous.
"Sparklers are burning metal," Fricke said. "Magnesium and other flammable metals burn in the neighborhood of 1,500 and 1,900 degrees depending on what materials you're talking about."
That's six times hotter than a pan of cooking oil, St. John's University reported in a newsletter.According to statistics reported by the Massachusetts Fire Incident Reporting System (MFIRS), there were 803 major fires caused by fireworks in the decade from 2002-2012.
"They caused one civilian death, 18 civilian injuries, three fire service injuries, and an estimated dollar loss of $2.6 million, which is high considering most fireworks fires are outdoor brush fires," according to the factsheet.
If all the dangers don't deter you from an at-home fireworks display, keep this in mind. Fireworks are not cheap and state law requires that police confiscate them -- even if you bought them legally in another state -- which could set you back hundreds of dollars in fireworks plus that fine you'll be paying.
Perhaps you're better bet is just to enjoy one of the many nearby professional fireworks displays.
"We would prefer if you would attend the city-sponsored demonstration at Albemarle Park – it's really a very good display," Fricke said. "Please leave fireworks to the professionals."
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