DEARBORN — Last week, the City of Dearborn had released information regarding firework safety and handling, in order to prepare for the summer season which typically sees an increased amount of locals who participate in firework usage near holidays like Memorial Day and the Fourth of July.

In 2012, the State of Michigan removed the ban on the sale and use of many types of powerful or airborne fireworks, known as “consumer” fireworks. These include bottle rockets, Roman candles, firecrackers and other items that leave the ground when discharged. A retailer who sells fireworks is also required to carry a license, certified by the state.  The license is required to be renewed annually. 

What many residents might not be aware of is that firework usage comes with strict guidelines that state and local officials have been trying to enforce since the Michigan Firework Safety Act was adopted in 2012. The City is urging residents be cautious around fireworks, which now can be purchased at many local convenience stores nearby. No one is allowed to use fireworks on public properties, including schools, churches, government buildings, city streets and parks.

Additionally, no one is allowed to ignite or discharge fireworks in any way that would cause them to land on someone else’s private property without the express consent of the property owners. A person who violates this will be charged with a civil infraction and can be fined up to $100. The responsible party will also be required to pay for any damages caused by the fireworks.

One common problem that the City is aware of, when it comes to firework use, is that they are being discharged during time periods that are illegal. According to City ordinance, the use of consumer fireworks is only legal on the day before, day of, or day after national holidays, such as the Fourth of July. That would make discharging them illegal pretty much throughout the entire summer, but that hasn’t been stopping locals from doing it anyway. 

What the City may not be aware of, however, is the repeated purchase and use of fireworks by minors under the age of 18. State laws make it illegal for minors to purchase fireworks, or even operate them at all. According to some residents in the City, firework use amongst teenagers and even children occurs on a daily basis, and most of the time there is no supervision from an adult. 

A local resident who lives in the neighborhood north of Ford Woods Park off of Greenfield Rd., says that she’s been seeing kids discharging fireworks in her neighborhood for weeks now, and they usually do it during the night. 

“I see it happening at least three or four times a week. Kids from these neighborhoods are out in the middle of the night, with no parents in sight, blowing up these dangerous fireworks on the side walks and in the street. What I would like to know is where are the parents, and how are they getting their hands on these fireworks,” Joyce stated.

One possible explanation for kids carrying fireworks may be that some local business owners are selling it to them illegally. When contacting the Dearborn Police Department about the possibility of a persisting problem with local businesses selling fireworks to minors, they seemed to be in the dark about the issue. 

Sergeant Barnett, who works with the department’s youth program, says he personally “isn’t aware of businesses who are selling fireworks to minors,” but wouldn’t doubt the possibly of it happening without their knowledge. The only problem is, it could be difficult to pin point these locations because it would require the police department to organize a sting operation.

A sting operation usually involves minors who are secretly undercover with the police department, and they are usually sent to local stores to purchase tobacco products. The police department has not done this type of operation for stores who are selling fireworks to minors as of yet. 

The Arab American News was contacted by one local woman who says she found out that two of her sons, ages 13 and 10, have been walking to local convenience stores and purchasing fireworks for the last several weeks, when she thought they were just purchasing candy. The mother discovered her children had been doing so after her 13-year-old sustained a minor burn injury to his thumb.

The Arab American News asked the mother if we would be able to use her 13-year-old son for our own investigation, and she complied.

On Wednesday evening, at 5:40 p.m., we took the 13-year-old, who we will call “Ali,” to one of the local convenience stores in which he alleged to have purchased fireworks from “at least five or six times” in the last three weeks. This particular convenience store is located on Greenfield Rd., less than half a mile south of Warren Ave. We gave Ali a $20 bill, and he was instructed to go into the store to purchase the fireworks like any other time he would have.

Above: 13-year-old “Ali” walks out of a local convenience store on Greenfield Rd. with a bag of fireworks that he purchased.PHOTO: Samer Hijazi

Minutes later, Ali emerged with a bag full of fireworks in his hands. For just $5, he was able to purchase two sets of “flammable rockets” and a dozen “thunder bombs.” Ali says the cashier had encouraged him to come back later this week, as the store would have a wider selection of fireworks.

“He told me he was going to have some M-80s, roman candles, and smoke bombs,” Ali said.  

His mother says she’s not surprised that children are able to get away with purchasing fireworks at Dearborn’s local convenience stores. She thinks a lot of local convenience stores could be breaking the law daily, and they will continue to do so until they are penalized for it.  

“Most of these business owners around here don’t care about the law, the only thing they care about is making some money off of these kids,” said the mother

A penalty for selling fireworks to someone under the age of 18 could result in a $500-$1,000 fine, and jail time, depending on local laws. Their license to sell fireworks would also be revoked for up to 90 days.  Sergeant Barnett tells the Arab American News that if residents are aware of local businesses selling fireworks to minors, then they need to report it to the police department immediately.

Latest statistics show that more than 8,000 people across the country are treated for burn injuries caused by fireworks annually. According to the Dearborn Fire Department, in the last year alone, they’ve had several cases of fire’s being stared, resulting from the discharging of fireworks. No data was available on how many injuries are sustained yearly from the discharging of fireworks in the City.