Chicago Fire Department: Leave Fireworks To The Professionals

Cover Image
Photo credit Photo illustration by Thomas Lohnes/Getty Images

Related

CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The Chicago Fire Department warns against people lighting off their own fireworks this Fourth of July.

Even sparklers are dangerous, says Chicago Fire Deputy District Chief Walter Schroeder.

He says sparklers burn at between 1,800 and 3,000 degrees; glass burns at around 800 degrees.

Fire officials demonstrated outside the Fire Academy by using a sparkler to light a shirt on fire on a mannequin. It only took only seconds. 

Chicago Fire Dept shows how quickly sparklers can burn. #July4 @WBBMNewsradio pic.twitter.com/zHbjY7bqfk

— Nancy Harty (@newsnance) July 3, 2019

Over the holiday last year, a 37-year-old man in Hebron, Indiana was killed after getting hit in the head with a firework he was checking on after it didn't immediately go off. 

Commissioner Richard Ford says any fuses that don't light right away should be left alone because they may be smoldering.

The department plans to have more crews and ambulances on staff over the holiday, Ford said.