MIAMI – Many people rang in the new year at home with their own fireworks shows, but some of those homemade light shows ended in a fire frenzy instead.
A compilation video posted by Only in Dade showed a number of home-fireworks mishaps in South Florida on the holiday.
Clips included sparks streaming from balconies, a palm tree aglow in flames and a video of people running for cover.
In 2023, 11 people died from fireworks, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. More than 10,000 people ended up in emergency rooms with injuries caused by fireworks.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, fireworks start an average of 20,000 fires yearly, leading to more than $100 million in damages.
But unlike in some other areas of the state — like Pensacola — and country, in South Florida, fireworks are, for the most part, perfectly legal to use on designated days, so long as they were purchased legally. Those days are New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day and the Fourth of July.
Miami-Dade police say that while it’s illegal to sell aerial fireworks in the county, they can be used if purchased legally.
Davie is one South Florida municipality that has placed limits on fireworks. The Broward town, where agriculture still has a significant presence, bans the “exploding of any fireworks within 1,000 feet of any livestock enclosure, stable or kennel.”
First responders hope those who use fireworks keep safety in mind, like keeping children out of harm’s way.
“Sparklers that are often considered harmless can burn as hot as 2,000 degrees in Fahrenheit and can cause serious burns,” Miami-Dade Fire Rescue spokesperson Erika Benitez said. “This temperature is strong enough to melt metals, so imagine what it can do to your children’s eyes and hands.”