Hundreds of illegal fireworks confiscated from Glendale business
Jul 3, 2021, 6:15 AM
(Screenshot/Glendale Fire Department)
(Screenshot/Glendale Fire Department)
PHOENIX — Glendale police officers and fire marshals confiscated hundreds of illegal fireworks from a local business Thursday afternoon, authorities said.
A concerned citizen alerted authorities to what they believed was an illegal sales operation inside a business near 67th Avenue and Cactus Road, according to a press release, with the person reporting lines of people outside the store waiting to purchase fireworks.
Inspectors arrived and found hundreds of illegal fireworks, each of which had 500 grams of explosive material, authorities said.
Each of the seized fireworks was prohibited for use or sale within the city.
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It is unclear how many fireworks were purchased prior to the seizure, authorities said, and those who purchased the illegal fireworks are advised not to use them.
Fire personnel in the release said the illegal fireworks are volatile and unpredictable, adding injuries to employees and damage to the adjacent business could have been catastrophic had the explosives caught fire.
The Glendale Police Department is working with the city prosecutor’s office to determine if charges will be filed, according to the release.
Arizona state law allows the use of consumer fireworks from June 24 through July 6.
Consumer fireworks include ground spinners, sparkling wheel devices, cylindrical, square, cone and California rocket-shaped fountains.
Other novelty fireworks – like sparklers, smoker devices, snakes, party poppers and snappers – can be used any time.
People are prohibited at all times to use devices that go into the air, like skyrockets, bottle rockets and aerials, along with firecrackers.
The most common injury from fireworks are burns followed by blast injuries to the hands, fingers and face, according to the release, with thousands of people being rushed to emergency rooms across the country every year due to injuries sustained from using the devices.
Authorities added the risk of brush and structure fire is extremely high with the current weather and drought conditions and ask people to only use legal fireworks to celebrate the Fourth of July.
