Illegal fireworks cause fire
|
Fireworks are illegal for the general public to possess in Arizona, but some choose to ignore the law and celebrate with the contraband on the Fourth of July.
One group of such people learned why personal fireworks are illegal in the dry Arizona desert when they accidentally started a brush fire Saturday.
The group was apparently too eager to wait until the officially sanctioned and professionally handled fireworks show began at the Graham County Fairgrounds and lit their contraband about 15 minutes before the fairgrounds show began.
According to Safford Fire Chief Mike Rhodes, the brush fire was started by a rogue firework on Highway 191 close to the closed Family Dollar store.
He said a fire engine quickly made its way to the scene and had the fire put out about five minutes after arrival.
The prompt response allayed the situation, which could have been much more disastrous had the event not taken place so close to the fairgrounds. Rhodes said his department always keeps one fire engine ready at the fairgrounds in case of fires from the sanctioned show or illegal ones that are set off around them.
"There's so many fireworks there; we always have an engine on standby," he said.
Rhodes said the brush fire was the only one caused by illegal fireworks the Safford Fire Department had to put out that evening.
According to Graham County Undersheriff Jeff McCormies, the county received eight calls for illegal fireworks on the Fourth of July, but he did not know if citations were given. He said a deputy spoke to several individuals who were near the brush fire.
In addition to lighting the fireworks for the show, firefighters also destroyed confiscated fireworks brought to them by law enforcement, including at least 50 or 60 pounds seized by Department of Public Service officers from vehicles returning from New Mexico.
The fireworks were placed in a container and set on fire.
After retiring for the night at 12 a.m., Rhodes and his crew were allowed only three hours rest before being called out to a single-vehicle accident.
According to Rhodes, the vehicle apparently lost control after going through the northern light at the construction zone of the Eighth Avenue Bridge and severed a gas meter. Firefighters wet down the area and made it safe for the gas company to plug the hole.
McCormies told the Courier deputies were sent to the scene at about 2:48 a.m. and discovered a crashed 2003 Oldsmobile sedan.
The driver, Marty Joseph Morales, 44, of Safford allegedly told deputies he hit some signs on the bridge and lost control. The odor of an alcoholic beverage was detected on Morales' breath and a blood sample was sent to the DPS Crime Lab for testing.
Morales was taken to the Mount Graham Regional Medical Center by Southwest Ambulance, and he was treated and released.
Charges relating to DUI are pending the analysis of his blood.
