Video Shows Dangers of Fireworks

OLATHE, Kan. — Fireworks can be dangerous. Every year they send thousands to the hospital.

Fire Captain Mike Hall said fireworks are explosives. On Monday he demonstrated how dangerous they can be. Hall said a simple sparkler could cause third-degree burns.

Kayla Northrop, a nurse at the KU Burn Center, said no firework is safe.

“If it is a flame injury, we’re seeing deep, full thickness, or third-degree flame injuries that cause complete tissue destruction, which ends up requiring skin grafting or surgery,” she said. “It’s a very long hospitalization and it’s extremely painful. And then we also see blast injuries where actual amputation can occur.”

In Olathe, possessing fireworks is illegal. If caught, the fireworks can be confiscated and the owner could be charged a $500 fine.

Hall and Northrop encourage people to use a safe alternative by attending a public fireworks display. To see a list of area firework displays, click here.