DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. — Fourth of July celebrations turned to catastrophe in the Denver metro this year—multiple people left without homes overnight after fires that started due to fireworks.
Douglas County Sheriff’s deputies helped people out of the home as SMFR crews attacked the fire and rescued several dogs and cats, all of which were reported safe.
“They also evacuated some nearby homes as well due to the large amount of fire that was inside the garage at the time,” said South Metro Fire Rescue spokesperson Connor Christian.
There were no injuries reported, but SMFR said four Douglas County deputies were treated for smoke inhalation.
According to SMFR, the blaze was caused by “improperly discarded fireworks” in a “plastic trash can.”
That wasn't the only major fire overnight—less than an hour later, crews responded to a garage fire at a home in the 5200 block of S. Crocker Way in Littleton.
SMFR fire crews found a cat in the home as Littleton police officers helped people evacuate from the fire.
There were no reported injuries.
“Fire investigators did determine that the cause of that fire was also from improperly disposed fireworks,” said Christian.
Local
Animals saved in Dougco fire 'due to improperly discarded fireworks': SMFR
According to SMFR, firefighters saw more structure fires this Fourth of July.
SMFR says it's important to submerge your used fireworks in water for a good amount of time, ideally in a metal container, before throwing them away to prevent fires like these.
“That way, those fireworks hopefully at that point are not at risk of reigniting. That metal can is going to be safer than a plastic bin,” said Christian.
SMFR crews responded to more incidents in the same time frame last Fourth of July, but Denver7 learned there were more major incidents this time around.
Nearly 200 calls for service came in between 7 AM on July 4 and 7 AM on July 5.
3 of those were structure fires, and 20 were brush fires – 16 of those believed to have been caused by fireworks.
While two extra patrols are on duty this weekend, they say they also need your help to make this a fun and safe holiday weekend.
“It's a busy time, and it's just heightened awareness of ensuring that our community members are as safe as possible,” said Christian.
SFMR shared additional Fourth of July safety tips with Denver7:
- Leave fireworks to the professionals
- Never use fireworks near dry grass, open space, or buildings
- Always have water or a fire extinguisher nearby
- Never allow young children to handle fireworks, including sparklers
- Don’t dispose of fireworks in dumpsters, especially ones next to buildings
- Keep containers with discarded fireworks at least three feet away from your home
Denver7 is committed to making a difference in our community by standing up for what's right, listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the videos above.