Recent blaze at fireworks store brings attention to safety concerns
Feb. 21—After an area fireworks store recently caught fire, residents are reminded to follow safety protocols and store these items with care.
Miller's Fireworks in De Kalb, Missouri, caught fire around 9:30 p.m. Friday. No one was injured, though the structure suffered serious damage.
Joseph Talbot, chief of the Dekalb Fire Protection District, said the cause of the fire is still undetermined and the scene is still considered active.
"There's two walls still standing ... the west wall is still standing and the south wall is still standing," Talbot said. "The structure survived it, but not to where it was still safe for people to go around."
The incident serves as a reminder of the dangers of storing and using fireworks. According to the 2021 Annual Fireworks Report by the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, the majority of people injured in fireworks accidents are aged 25-44, with 32% of injuries coming from this demographic. Children under 15 years old are also commonly injured by fireworks, with 29%.
Buchanan County Fire Inspector Steve Henrichson said in his experience, fireworks accidents are most commonly caused by unattended children getting access to them.
"Usually if it's fireworks, it's kids playing with them," Henrichson said. "They find them and ... they don't think, 'What's going to happen?'"
The most common injuries caused by fireworks are burns. The 2021 Annual Fireworks Report also mentioned that 32% of injuries in fireworks accidents were burns specifically to the hands and fingers.
Depending on the severity, Henrichson said there isn't a special treatment for fireworks burns.
"Tend it just like any other burn," Henrichson said. "Just keeping the temperature down reduces the damage."
While fireworks sales mostly take place in the weeks before the Fourth of July and the New Year, in the St. Joseph area, nearby permanent stores give more opportunities for citizens to purchase. One such scenario would be the Kansas City Chiefs' win in Super Bowl 57 on Feb. 12.
If residents decide to store fireworks within their homes, Henrichson said keeping them away from humidity and heat is important.
"Keeping in a cool, dry space. Humidity is not good for them. And of course, heat is bad. But preferably outside in a garage or shed," Henrichson said. "If you have to store them inside, just be really careful. (In a) sealed container, so they just keep them as far away from any kind of a heat source as you can."
Other tips include keeping a water source or fire extinguisher nearby and to avoid homemade fireworks.
