As the nation approaches its 250th birthday, Los Angeles authorities are gearing up to seize more illegal fireworks across the region. Last year, some 285 tons or 570,000 pounds of dangerous explosives were found and confiscated across the county, making up half of the fireworks seized in the entire state of California, according to the LA County Fire Department.
Preventing Tragedies
Illegal fireworks were also blamed for starting some 87 fires and causing millions of dollars in damage last year. In a separate incident, two brothers, 24 and 13 years old, were killed while the older brother was assembling illegal explosives. Assistant Chief Emada Tingirides of the Los Angeles Police Department said parents should keep tabs on their kids and talk to them about the risks.
Authorities are asking residents and neighbors to be actively involved in efforts to crack down on illegal fireworks, potentially preventing disastrous situations. Tipsters can call 1-800-222-TIPS (1-800-222-8477) and report fireworks anonymously. They could also be reported on lacrimestoppers.org.
Original reporting: NBC4 Los Angeles — read the source article.
