People in our area are getting ready for their New Year’s celebrations and for some, that means ringing in 2025 with a fireworks show. Law enforcement is warning people about where they get their explosives from and the dangers some of these devices can pose.
“We’ve seen these things take limbs off, feet, hands, mangled bodies. They’re very, very dangerous. We cannot stress that enough,” said Eric DeGree, special agent in charge with ATF Philadelphia.
You may be looking to ring in the new year with a bang and law enforcement is urging you to do that the right way. That means staying away from homemade fireworks.
“Every year for the last 20-some years, someone has been significantly injured, in this area, by using illegal explosives,” said Detective Timothy Brooks with the Philadelphia Police Department’s Bomb Disposal Unit.
You’ve likely heard of some of these devices, commonly called quarter sticks or M-80s. Law enforcement said they’ve seen some of these packed with volatile explosives that far exceed the power of commercial fireworks.