Staties crack down on fireworks, patrol out-of-state buys
If you’re heading over the border to purchase fireworks ahead of the Fourth of July, State Police have a message for you: They’re on the lookout.
State Police over the weekend cracked down on people who bought fireworks in other states and then brought them into Massachusetts, where fireworks possession is illegal.
Troopers from the Department’s Division of Investigative Services and Firearms and Explosives Investigation Unit on Friday evening stopped several motor vehicles with people who had purchased fireworks in another state and carried them into Massachusetts.
Seven people were issued summons to appear in court to face charges of illegal possession of fireworks. Troopers also seized about 425 items, many containing large volumes of multiple shots, with a total value of about $8,000. Among the items seized were aerial shells, cakes, large rockets, fountains, sparklers and Roman candles.
Then on Saturday, troopers again stopped several motor vehicles with fireworks.
Troopers issued six summonses and seized 654 items, many containing large volumes of individual shots, with a total value of more than $10,000.
Among the items seized were aerial shells, cakes, fountains, bottle rockets, large rockets, Roman candles, sparklers and 34 packs of firecrackers containing a total of 17,337 individual firecrackers.
On Sunday, troopers issued summonses to five people illegally in possession of fireworks in Massachusetts, and seized 501 items worth more than $10,000 in total. As in the previous two operations, seized items included cakes, fountains aerial shells, bottle rockets and Roman candles.
“The Department of Fire Services and the State Police urge Massachusetts residents to enjoy fireworks at permitted events, such as those held by many cities and towns and the annual Boston fireworks show on the state’s Charles River Esplanade,” officials said in a statement.
Massachusetts fire departments reported more than 900 fires related to illegal fireworks between 2012 and 2021.
In addition to the 43 fire service injuries and $2.1 million in damages attributed to these fires caused by illegal fireworks, Massachusetts medical facilities reported 31 severe burn injuries extending to 5% or more of the victims’ bodies.