Fire crews urge care over aiming fireworks safely

People are being urged to pay attention to where fireworks are aimed as part of a safety warning ahead of Bonfire Night.

Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS) has warned careless firework use can cause serious damage to people and properties.

Last year a woman was seriously injured in Huyton when a rocket was fired at a block of flats and a house in Kirkby was also destroyed by a "stray firework", MFRS said.

Craig Whitfield from MFRS said fireworks could be "extremely dangerous" as they are "designated as explosives" and he urged people to take safety precautions.

He said: "It is really important that people are considerate when setting off fireworks on the location of where they're setting them off, the size of the fireworks, and that they are aimed in the right direction."

On Bonfire Night fire crews also often find themselves as the target of antisocial behaviour, with three MFRS firefighters injured after youths threw fireworks at them last year.

One crew member suffered temporary hearing loss due to the loud explosion and a fire engine was also damaged.

Whitfield said it was "absolutely unacceptable" that crews came under attack as they try to keep the community safe.

In previous years crews have also faced bogus calls which the fire service said could divert crews from a real incident putting lives at risk.

"Bonfire Night is one of our busiest times of year, and the engines tend to be out most of the night," Whitfield said.

"If we attend these incidents and firefighters come under attack and are injured, or the engines are damaged, then that can effectively take that appliance off the run.

"Also, while we are dealing with these lower secondary fires and nuisance fires, you are diverting resources that may be required at more life threatening critical incidents.

"So the message, I would urge people, is, don't misuse fireworks, and don't be involved in arson related antisocial behaviour."

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