Fireworks caused a few minor fires across Northwest Arkansas over the holiday weekend, according to officials from local fire departments.
Some of the fires Fayetteville firefighters were called to were so small they could have been covered by a sheet of paper, said Capt. Brian Sloat.
Fireworks law
Cities are allowed to set their own restrictions on fireworks sales but state law gives two windows for fireworks sales: June 20 – July 10 and December 10 – January 5.
Source: Staff Report
However, fireworks weren't ruled out as the cause of a fire that burned a storage shed behind Sonic on North College on July 4, Sloat said.
Smoke bombs set off in an elevator of the Vue, 1111 W. Stadium Drive, about 11:30 p.m. July 4 set off fire alarms, but didn't set any buildings on fire, Sloat said.
Fireworks sales ended at midnight July 5 in Springdale, said Duane Miller, Springdale fire marshal. Most of the fire calls related to fireworks were just after 11 p.m. July 4.
A tree on fire because of fireworks was reported at 734 Oakridge Drive on July 4, Miller said. Residents at the house put it out before firefighters arrived.
A trash bin on fire was reported at 11:59 p.m. July 4 in the 2200 block of Stout Drive. The family told firefighters they'd thrown used fireworks in the bin earlier that evening.
Two other fires may have been fireworks related, Miller said. A Dumpster on fire was reported July 4 just before midnight from apartments at 1705 Lowell Road and another was reported in the 1100 block of Rebecca Lane. It's likely both were caused by people improperly disposing of fireworks, Miller said.
Spent fireworks should be dropped in a bucket of water or allowed to sit for 24 hours before they are trashed, Miller said.
There were no fireworks-related calls this year for Dennis Ledbetter, Washington County fire marshal.
"It was pretty uneventful for us," Ledbetter said.
Rain in the days leading up to the holiday prevented accidental fires, said Marc Trollinger, Benton County fire marshal,
"I'm counting our blessings," Trollinger said.
It's the second year for sky lanterns to be banned under Arkansas law, Trollinger said.
During inspection of fireworks tents this year he found one vendor selling them and had them removed.
Miller said he saw a couple of lanterns this year. Last year he tried to track about 30 sky lanterns as they drifted across Springdale. The lanterns were banned because they can start fires where they land after being aloft.
"They could land in hay fields," Miller said.
The one injury reported among local agencies was in Rogers where a man in his 60s was treated for smoke inhalation after someone set off fireworks inside the building, said Tom Jenkins, fire chief. The call came in from the 1400 block of West Beech Drive at about 8 p.m. July 5, Jenkins said. No one was hospitalized.
He recommends people enjoy professional fireworks displays for safety, Jenkins said.
If fireworks are set off in the proper manner, the risk is minimized, Trollinger said. A Roman candle shouldn't be hand-held, he said. He often is asked how old children should be before they are allowed to shoot fireworks.
"If you have to ask if someone is old enough, then they probably aren't old enough," Trollinger said.