Fireworks: Emergency crews respond to nearly 30 calls across Prince William County

Fire and recrews crews across Prince William County and the Greater Manassas area were called to multiple fires last night.

The cause of many of them: People didn’t property dispose their fireworks and they caught fire in a trashcan.

Fire crews were called to Osbourn Park High School just outside Manassas about 11 p.m. Sunday night. Manassas Park fire crews rushed the scene and shot a video of a trash can on fire. You’re seeing an image from that video in this post.

E509, M509, and BC589 were called to assist Prince William County for a Commercial Structure Fire. E509 arrived on scene first with report of a metal trash can on fire. The fire was quickly extinguished with no extension to the overhead canopy structure. Please make sure when disposing used fireworks, that they are placed inside of a metal trash can with a lid. Preferably soaked with water and placed a minimum of 50 feet away from any structure.

About an hour and a half later, fire and rescue crews were called to the 1500 block of Admiral Baker Circle in Haymarket for a house fire. Fireworks that had been placed in a trash can reignited and caught fire. The blaze extended to the home’s garage, Prince William County Fire and Rescue Department Asst. Chief Matt Smolsky said.

No one was injured.

Fire crews were responded to about 30 fire-related 9-1-1 calls between 7 p.m. July 4 to 2 a.m. July 5.

Fireworks started an estimated 19,500 fires in 2018, including 1,900 structure fires, 500 vehicle fires, and 17,100 outside and other fires. These fires caused five deaths, 46 civilian injuries, and $105 million in direct property damage..

In 2018, U.S. hospital emergency rooms treated an estimated 9,100 people for fireworks related injuries; half of those injuries were to the extremities and 34% were to the eye or other parts of the head. Children younger than 15 years of age accounted for more than one-third (36%) of the estimated 2018 injuries. These injury estimates were obtained or derived from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s 2018 Fireworks Annual Report.