Video Shows House on Fire After Likely Fireworks Accident

Every Fourth of July, officials across the country warn against using and storing fireworks without safely handling the explosives. In Champaign, Illinois, one family lost their home Saturday night after what appears to be a fireworks accident, fire department officials said. Thankfully, there were no injuries among the residents or responding firefighters reported. The people who lived at the home were displaced though.

The fire was reported just before 6 p.m. Saturday at a single-family, two-story home. Video of the incident shows the entire house on fire, with smoke billowing from the roof. Firefighters quickly put out the fire with multiple hose lines. The fire was at the rear of the home. An investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.

“Although the cause of this fire is undetermined as investigators remain on the scene conducting their investigation, there is a high probability that the cause is fireworks,” the Champaign Fire Department noted on its Facebook page. “There were no firefighter or occupant injuries reported. The occupants will be displaced as a result of the damage.

The Champaign Police Department retweeted the video of the fire, asking residents to leave fireworks displays to the professionals. “Leave the fireworks to the experts. Just don’t do it,” the police department noted. “We’re grateful for our [fire department] colleagues for their efforts this time of year, working around the clock and being there for accidents such as this that could be avoided if in fact it was caused by fireworks.”

It is illegal for non-professionals to own fireworks in Illinois, notes Illinois Legal Aid Online. The Pyrotechnic Use Act of Illinois bans the use of “consumer fireworks,” or the kind of fireworks that are legal to buy in other states, like firecrackers, bottle rockets, and roman candles. Violations of the PUA can result in a $2,500 fine and one year in prison. Some things not considered consumer fireworks are legal to own in Illinois though, including sparklers, snake or glow work pellets, trick noisemakers, and snappers. Some cities in Illinois have ordinances. For example, it is illegal to have sparkers in Chicago.