Every kid can remember the excitement of the Fourth of July holiday.
Spending all day on a boat, eating cold ice cream and, most of all, watching fireworks as they illuminate the sky.
Unfortunately, some celebrations can be tarnished when proper care isn’t used when handling fireworks.
That’s why local law enforcement officials want to make sure this holiday season is a safe one.
Oxford Village police chief Mike Neymanowski said the village ordinance says fireworks that ‘shoot from the ground into the sky, like bottle rockets, and make a loud noise are illegal.?
‘We want to emphasize that the group that gets the most injuries from fireworks use is the youth ages 5-14,? he said.
Neymanowski stressed that it’s important parents are always supervising the use of fireworks.
But sometimes that doesn’t deter injuries.
Early Saturday morning, the Oxford Fire Department was called to a home on the 3100 block of Baldwin Rd., just north of Oakwood, for a house fire cause by fireworks.
Fire chief Jack LeRoy said a 15-year-old boy was home alone setting off fireworks and threw them into the rubber trash can near the house when he was finished.
‘They were not all the way out yet and they caught the trash can on fire, which in turn caught the house on fire,? he said.
LeRoy said the fire was under control by 1:20 a.m. and that there was approximately $150,000-200,000 worth of damage done to the house. No one was injured.
To prevent any disastrous incidents like Saturday’s, LeRoy said to make sure to douse the fireworks with water thoroughly and never put it into a trash can for at least a couple days.
Neymanowski said there was also an incident three years ago where a man lost a couple fingers when trying to relight a firework he thought was a dud.
Last year, Neymanowski said there weren’t any injuries related to fireworks, but someone did shoot a bottle rocket that landed in a neighbor’s window.
‘You can have fun, but use common sense and caution,? he warned.
He said a resident wanting to have a private fireworks display using larger explosives needs to get permission from the fire department.
Anyone who disregards the fireworks ordinance, which can be viewed online at www.oxfordvillagepolice.com, faces a fine up to $500.