TOPEKA (KSNT) - The Office of the Kansas State Fire Marshal (OSFM) has released new statistics of inspections and firework-related injuries from the recent Fourth of July holiday.
Lance Feyh, a spokesman for the OSFM, said in a press release the investigation division completed just over 200 firework stand inspections this year. Nearly 125 deficiencies, such as exits, fire extinguishers and trash, were identified by OSFM inspectors with many being fixed on-site.
A total of nine separate seizures occurred during these inspections of illegal fireworks from Kansas stands. The OSFM cited bottle rockets as the cause for these seizures. These fireworks, along with M80s, are considered both illegal and extremely dangerous in Kansas with the use or sale of them being considered a crime under Kansas law, according to the OSFM website.
Feyh said one injury was investigated by the OSFM this year. This is compared to 2023 where the OSFM completed 60 firework stand inspections, identifying 12 violations and the seizure of five illegal fireworks.
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