Business lights up for Missouri fireworks retailers

According to the state Department of Public Safety, about 1,250 Missouri fireworks stands are open during this year’s holiday time. The Missouri Department of Revenue tells Missourinet annual fireworks sales in the Show-Me state have surpassed $34 million in the fiscal year that ended last month.

Missourians are reminded to check local ordinances before lighting off fireworks. There are no new state fireworks regulations this year.

State Fire Marshal Tim Bean says July 4th is the busiest day of the year for fires and that almost one-half of fires the day of are caused by fireworks. The National Fire Protection Association reports that fireworks start an average of 18,500 fires per year nationwide with an average of $43 million in direct property damage.

An average of 250 people a day go to U.S. hospital emergency rooms with fire-works related injuries in the month around July 4th, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Sparklers – which burn at over 1,200 degrees and are often handled by children – are one of the leading causes of fireworks injuries.

In 2015, U.S. hospital emergency rooms treated an estimated 11,900 people for fireworks related injuries; 51% of those injuries were to the extremities and 41% were to the head. Children younger than 15 years of age accounted for 26% of the estimated 2015 injuries.

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