Staff writer
newsroom@observer-reporter.com
Washington fire Chief Linn Brookman relayed a story he heard last year about a Pittsburgh man who shot an illegal firework into a house accidentally, setting it ablaze. It's instances like those, he said, that led Pennsylvania to make most fireworks illegal.
"Common sense tells you that if they're outlawed, they're dangerous," he said.
Brookman could not recall a serious accident involving illegal fireworks in Washington, but he knows that Washington residents are purchasing them, and that an accident could happen in the future.
Just take a stroll through Washington Park on the Fourth of July, and illegal fireworks can be heard whizzing through the air. To Brookman, it's just a matter of time before someone loses a finger, an eye or worse.
"That's the frustrating part: There's an accident that's going to happen, but you don't know when and where," he said.
Police are cracking down where they can.
Washington police Chief Roger Blyth said officers are always on the watch for illegal fireworks activity, and citations and fines are issued on a regular basis.
According to Blyth, it is unlikely that illegal fireworks are being sold by local vendors who sell from tents.
"Our local stores are really, really good," he said.
Vendors selling fireworks from a tent or any other temporary shop must have a permit from the city. Permanent stores that sell fireworks can do so through their mercantile licenses, Blyth said.
According to state law, legal fireworks must contain 0.25 grams or less of explosive compound and be constructed so that the hand does not come in contact with the explosive cap when in place. Legal items include sparklers and noise makers.
"Basically, if they leave the ground, they are illegal," Blyth said, referring to fireworks with enough explosive compound to turn it into a projectile. Those include anything from bottle rockets to Roman candles, as well as mortars.
The majority of illegal fireworks sellers come from out of state. Those sellers, Blyth said, usually stay away from the city because they know that local police are on the lookout.
But when they are caught, the illegal merchandise is confiscated, and heavy fines are issued.
Bobbi Jo Teagarden is selling fireworks from a tent on Jefferson Avenue. She does not sell illegal fireworks, but that does not stop some customers from asking her to "bring out the good stuff."
"They want sticks of dynamite," she said. "People buy these quarter sticks and blow their hands off. How is that fun?"
Teagarden said some customers ask for fireworks that shoot as high as 100 feet in the air. The most explosive item Teagarden sells is a large keg that shoots sparklers 20 feet into the air.
Bob Wise, 61, stopped by the tent to pick up some fireworks for his 9-year-old grandson.
"I think this is pretty neat that they have fireworks kids can use," he said.
Wise said that, after having some bad experiences with illegal fireworks, he tries to buy fireworks that are as safe as possible.