U.S. Fire Administration/National Fire Data Center

The Dangers of 

Fireworks

Topical Fire Research Series, Volume 5 – Issue 4

June 2005
T O P I C A L F I R E R E S E A R C H S E R I E S


The Dangers of Fireworks 

June 2005 Volume 5, Issue 4 

Findings 

■ Injuries from fireworks—most of which occur around the 4th of July—increased from 

8,800 in 2002 to 9,300 in 2003. Over the past 13 years, however, the injury rate has 

fallen 37%—from 4.3 to 3.2 injuries per 100,000 population. 

■ State laws regulating the sale of fireworks directly affect the occurrence of fireworksrelated injuries. 

■ Children under the age of 15 suffered 45% of all injuries from fireworks. Most injuries 

(72%) are to males of all ages. 

■ Firecrackers were responsible for the greatest number of injuries (1,600) in 2003, 

followed by bottle rockets (1,000) and sparklers (700). 

■ Because most fires ignited by fireworks are to outside property, the dollar loss to 

these fires is substantially less than the dollar loss to structure fires. 

It would be hard to imagine July 4th festivities in the United States without public displays of fireworks, and a 

number of other holidays, such as New Years, often call for big shows as well. But celebrations can become tragic 

when someone is injured by consumer fireworks. Despite federal and state regulations on the type of fi reworks 

available for sale to the general public, even those fireworks that are sold legally carry an elevated risk of personal 

injury. 

Fireworks are considered hazardous materials with the potential to cause serious injury. All fi reworks are 

regulated by the Federal Hazardous Substance Act, which prohibits sale of the more dangerous types to the public to 

avoid injury and property damage. Among these banned products are large, reloadable mortar shells, cherry bombs, 

aerial bombs, M-80s, and large firecrackers with more than 2 grains of powder. Likewise, all mail order kits to 

construct fireworks are strictly prohibited.1 

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) regulates fireworks that can be sold legally to consumers2 

and is responsible for setting minimum standards, such as requiring firecrackers to have fuses that burn at least 

3 seconds but not more than 9 seconds, and that all devices be sealed to prevent leakage of pyrotechnic material. 

Further, all legal fireworks must have labels with instructions for safe use, as well as warnings and precautions. 

Although these regulations and standards have helped make consumer fireworks safer, all fi reworks are 

potentially hazardous.

3

 For example, sparklers, which are legal in the majority of states, burn at temperatures of 

approximately 2,000°F.

4 Their colorful sparks belie the potential dangers, and yet sparklers are predominately used 

by young children. 

Federal, state, and local laws govern the manufacture and sale of legal fireworks (Class C). As of March 1, 2004, 

37 states and the District of Columbia allowed some or all types of consumer fireworks, an increase of fi ve states 

since January 2001 (Figure 1). Meanwhile six states allow only sparklers or other such novelties. Seven states ban all 

fireworks, including those allowed and regulated by the CPSC. 

U.S. Department of Homeland Security • Federal Emergency Management Agency 

United States Fire Administration • National Fire Data Center 

Emmitsburg, Maryland 21727 

http://www.usfa.fema.gov/inside-usfa/nfdc/pubs/tfrs.shtm 

1 
FIGURE 1. STATE REGULATIONS OF


CONSUMER FIREWORKS


STATES THAT PERMIT CONSUMER FIREWORKS 

Alabama Montana 

Alaska Nebraska 

Arkansas New Hampshire 

California New Mexico 

Colorado Nevada 

Connecticut North Carolina 

District of Columbia North Dakota 

Florida Oklahoma 

Hawaii Oregon 

Idaho South Carolina 

Indiana South Dakota 

Kansas Tennessee 

Kentucky Texas 

Louisiana Utah 

Maryland Virginia 

Michigan Washington 

Minnesota West Virginia 

Mississippi Wisconsin 

Missouri Wyoming 

STATES THAT ALLOW ONLY SPARKLERS 

Illinois Ohio 

Iowa Pennsylvania 

Maine Vermont 

STATES THAT BAN ALL CONSUMER FIREWORKS 

Arizona 

Delaware 

Georgia 

New Jersey 

New York 

Massachusetts 

Rhode Island 

Source: Consumer Product Safety Commission 

Previous studies have indicated that state laws regulating the sale of fireworks directly affect the occurrence of 

fireworks-related injuries. In one state, the number of injuries seen in emergency departments more than doubled 

following the legalization of fi reworks.

5 

INJURIES FROM FIREWORKS 

In 2003, firework devices caused approximately 9,300 injuries, an increase from 8,800 injuries in 2002.6, 7 

The vast majority of these injuries are associated with Independence Day celebrations. CPSC estimated that 6,800 

people were treated in hospital emergency departments for fireworks-related injuries during the 1-month period 

surrounding July 4th (June 20–July 20, 2003).There were six deaths from consumer fireworks reported that year.

8 

According to National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) survey data, CPSC estimated that nearly 

half of all fireworks-related injuries (45%) were suffered by children under age 15.9

 Males were disproportionately 

injured by fireworks (72%) with almost three times as many males as females (28%) injured.The large majority 

of fireworks injuries occurred with consumer products. CPSC also reported that of the estimated 9,300 fi reworks 

injuries in 2003, only a small number of injuries—100—occurred at public fi reworks events. 

2 
Burns were by far the most common form of injury. Burn injuries typically occurred to all parts of the body 

(Figure 2). Hands are the body parts most often injured, accounting for 1,800 of the hospital visits in the 1-month 

NEISS study period around July 4th, 2003. Eyes followed with 1,400 visits, and then heads/faces/ears and legs with 

1,200 emergency visits each. 

FIGURE 2. ESTIMATED FIREWORKS-RELATED INJURIES


BY BODY PART AND DIAGNOSIS (JUNE 20–JULY 20, 2003)


Body Part 

 Total 

Contusions, Other Total Burns Lacerations Diagnoses 

Arm/Shoulder 500 300 100 * * 

Eye 1,400 400 500 * 500 

Hand/Finger 1,800 1,600 100 * 100 

Head/Face/Ear 1,200 500 400 * 300 

Leg 1,200 1,000 100 100 100 

Trunk 800 500 200 * 100

6,800 

Fractures, 

Sprains 

4,300 1,200 100 1,200 

Notes: Other diagnoses includes all injury categories.


Estimates rounded to nearest 100 injuries.


Estimates of less than 50 injuries shown with an asterisk (*).


Totals may not add due to rounding.


Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, “2003 Fireworks Annual Report,” NEISS. 

PRODUCTS ASSOCIATED WITH INJURIES 

Of all consumer fi reworks, firecrackers were responsible for the greatest number of injuries. In 2003, CPSC 

estimated 1,600 injuries from firecrackers associated with Independence Day celebrations. Bottle rockets injured 

1,000 persons, and sparklers injured another 700. 

Of the estimated 700 fireworks injuries to children under 5 years of age, 400 (57%) were caused by sparklers 

between June 20 and July 20, 2003. Among children 5–14 years of age, firecrackers and bottle rockets resulted in 

800 of the 2,400 injuries (33%). Rockets (bottle and other types) alone accounted for 500 of the 1,800 (28%) 

injuries to persons aged 15–24. 

Fireworks sales have been increasing according to the American Pyrotechnics Association. In 2000, fi reworks 

sales totaled $610 million and by 2004 had increased to $775 million.10 Meanwhile, with the exception of a spike 

in injuries in 2000, which is likely explained by more extensive celebrations associated with the millennium, the 

firework injury rate has declined since 1991 (Figure 3). Overall, the injury rate has fallen 37% since 1991 and 

appears to have recently leveled off at about 3 per 100,000 persons each year. It is possible that this trend is due to 

the increasing popularity of large, public, professionally executed fireworks displays, which use thousands of pounds 

of fireworks and rarely cause injuries. 

3 
FIGURE 3. ESTIMATED FIREWORKS-RELATED INJURIES


Year 

Estimated FireworksRelated Injuries Fireworks Injury 

Rate* 

1991 

1992 

1993 

1994 

1995 

1996 

1997 

1998 

1999 

2000 

2001 

2002 

2003 

10,900 

12,500 

12,100 

12,500 

10,900 

7,300 

8,300 

8,500 

8,500 

11,000 

9,500 

8,800 

9,300 

4.3 

4.9 

4.6 

4.8 

4.1 

2.7 

3.0 

3.1 

3.1 

3.9 

3.3 

3.0 

3.2 

*Injuries per 100,000 people


Notes: Estimates based on 291 fireworks-related injuries recorded by NEISS in 2003.


Sources: Consumer Product Safety Commission, “2003 Fireworks Annual Report,” NEISS. 

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, U.S. population estimates from 1991–1999 

from http://eire.census.gov/popest/data/national/tables/intercensal/US-EST90INT-04.php; 

population projections for 2000–2003 from http://eire.census.gov/popest/data/states/tables/NST-EST2003-01.xls 

Even declining trends cannot mask the issue that fireworks remain dangerous. Each year, many people are 

injured and some are killed by fireworks.The following 2003 deaths illustrate the problems:11 

• 	A 2-year-old child died in Florida from smoke inhalation from a fire that was started in the laundry room of 

a mobile home.The fire started when a 3-year-old child lit combustibles with a sparkler. 

• 	Leaning over a pipe where he placed a commercial-type firework projectile, a 38-year-old man in Iowa was 

killed when he lit the fuse. 

• 	Attempting to block the wind around a launching tube, an 18-year-old man was fatally injured in Michigan 

when lighting a mortar-type fi rework. 

FIRES CAUSED BY FIREWORKS 

The following discussion is based on 2002 National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS, version 5.0) data 

and reflects injuries, fatalities, and fire loss associated only with the fi res caused by fireworks.These losses differ from 

the figures presented earlier that reflect injuries, fatalities, and property loss caused directly by fi reworks. 

An estimated 23,200 fi reworks fires in 2002 caused approximately $35 million in property loss and injured 75 

persons.

12, 13 No deaths were reported in the NFIRS data. Most fires are clustered around Independence Day, New 

Year’s Eve, and other holidays or celebrations. 

Fifty-nine percent of fi res caused by fireworks occur around the Independence Day holiday on July 4th (Figure 

4), often in open fields or vacant lots. As such, the materials most commonly ignited (68%) by fireworks are organic 

materials such as grass and trees. Grass alone was the first material ignited in 47% of all fi reworks fi res.

14 Because 

these types of fires are located outdoors, they have a relatively low property loss (Figure 5). 

4 
0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Percent

FIGURE 4. 2002 FIREWORKS FIRES BY MONTH (percent) 

Source: NFIRS 5.0 

FIGURE 5. 2002 LOSS MEASURES FROM FIREWORKS


Loss Measure All Fires Fireworks Fires 

$ Loss/Fire $7,447 $1,841 

Injuries/1,000 Fires 20.8 5.1 

Fatalities/1,000 Fires 2.8 0.0 

Note: Estimates based on fires with heat sources reported. 

Source: NFIRS 5.0 

Property loss is substantially less in fi reworks fires than in other types of fi res because most fi reworks fi res occur 

outside, where the fires do less damage and cause lower dollar replacement value than structure fi res. 

Given the high number of children injured by fireworks, it is not surprising that the most common ignition 

factor for fires related to fireworks is playing with the heat source (42%). Playing with the heat source is the ignition 

factor in one-third of the property losses due to fi reworks fires and 50% of fireworks-related injuries.The larger 

ignition factor category of misuse of the heat of ignition includes abandoned materials, heat source too close to 

combustibles, as well as playing with the heat source, and accounts for the vast majority of fires (86%), injuries 

(90%), and property loss (89%).15 

CONCLUSION 

Fireworks account for a substantial number of preventable injuries and fi res. Because fireworks can be dangerous 

and deadly, the safest way to enjoy them is through public displays conducted by professional pyrotechnicians hired 

by communities over July 4th or at other times during the year. Parents need to be especially vigilant during this 

period in assuring that children do not possess dangerous fireworks or mishandle legal ones. 

To request additional information or comment on this report, visit 

http://www.usfa.fema.gov/applications/feedback 

5 
Notes:


1.	 Fireworks Publication #12, Consumer Product Safety Commission, March 2004, http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PUBS/012.

 pdf. 

2.	 U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Office of Compliance, Summary of Fireworks Regulations,16 C.F.R. Part 1500 & 

1507. 

3.	 Fireworks Publication #12, loc. cit. 

4.	 “CPSC Holds Fireworks Safety Press Conference on Mall in Washington,” Press Release, CPSC, June 28, 2000, http://www.cpsc.

 gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtm101/01179.html. 

5.	 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Serious Eye Injuries Associated With Fireworks, United States 1990–1994,” 

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 1995; 44; 449–452. 

6.	 Michael A. Greene and James Joholske, “2003 Fireworks Annual Report, Fireworks-Related Deaths, Emergency DepartmentTreated Injuries, and Enforcement Activities During 2003,” Consumer Product Safety Commission. 

7.	 One hundred people died and 200 were injured in a nightclub fire in West Warwick, RI, ignited by nonconsumer

 fireworks.These numbers are not included in this report. 

8.	 Michael A. Greene, loc. cit. 

9.	 Idem. 

10.	 Monique Stuart, “Fireworks Sales,” The Washington Times, http://washtimes.com/culture/20040616-094306-2607r.htm. 

11.	 Michael A. Greene, loc cit. 

12.	 Loss estimates are based on 2002 National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) data and national residential structure fi re 

loss estimates from the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA’s) Fire Loss in the United States During 2002. Fireworks fi re 

loss estimates are rounded as follows: fires to the nearest 100 fires; injuries to the nearest 25 injuries, and dollar loss to the 

 nearest $million. 

13.	 Fireworks fire loss estimates are based on the total number of NFIRS fires in 2002 for which the heat source was known and 

 on NFPA’s Fire Loss in the United States During 2002. Approximately 42% of fires in NFIRS reported a heat source. If the 

 fireworks estimates were based on all reported fires, including those with unknown heat sources, the estimates of fi rework fi re 

losses would decrease to 9,700 fires, 50 injuries, and $19 million in dollar loss. 

14.	 Distribution statistics are based on data from the NFIRS 2002. At the time of this report, NFIRS continues to transition from 

version 4.1 to 5.0. Due to issues related to accurately converting version 4.1 data to version 5.0, this report is based on data 

reported only in version 5.0. 

15.	 Statistics for ignition factors refl ect those fires for which a factor was noted as contributing to the ignition of the fi re. Sixty-fi ve

 percent of fi rework-related fires have a factor contributing to ignition, 18% indicate that no factor contributed to ignition, and 

17% had no factor specifi ed. 

6