LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) — As families across Ohio prepare to celebrate the Fourth of July, safety officials are urging caution when it comes to fireworks.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, 11 people died and nearly 15,000 others were treated in emergency rooms for fireworks-related injuries in 2024. First responders say those numbers highlight the importance of proper handling, especially during holiday gatherings.
Warren Pughsley, fire inspector with the Lima Fire Department, emphasized that only sober adults should be lighting fireworks and don't let children light any fireworks.
“Operate the fireworks that you're allowed to operate at your level,” he said. “There are some things that are legal now that didn’t used to be, but there are still people using fireworks that are far above their level and are illegal to them. And then when something goes wrong, it goes really wrong.”
He and other fire officials are reminding Ohioans that fireworks and alcohol do not mix, as impaired judgment and slower response times can lead to dangerous or even deadly consequences.Â
Under Ohio state law, residents can legally discharge fireworks on July 3, 4, and 5, as well as the weekends immediately before and after the holiday, between the hours of 4 p.m. and 11 p.m.
Officials also stress that children should never be allowed to handle fireworks — even seemingly harmless items like sparklers, which can reach temperatures of up to 2,000 degrees.
“Let the adults handle it,” Pughsley said. “And make sure those adults are sober.”
