One Montgomery County resident was injured Tuesday evening, June 30, when a fire broke out just before midnight at a home in the Porter area.
Firefighters with Montgomery County ESD 6 were dispatched to the 23000 block of Honeysuckle Drive after receiving reports of a house fire. When crews arrived, they found both the home and a nearby vehicle engulfed in flames. Firefighters were able to contain the blaze, but not before both the home and vehicle sustained heavy damage.
The injured resident was treated for minor burns and lacerations caused by broken glass.
An investigation determined the fire was caused by improperly discarded fireworks. According to investigators, the residents had set off fireworks to celebrate Mexico’s victory in the World Cup. After the celebration, they gathered the spent fireworks, believed they were completely extinguished and placed the debris near a vehicle parked in front of the home.
The fireworks later reignited, igniting the vehicle before the flames spread to the home.
How to safely dispose of fireworks
- Soak all spent fireworks and any duds in a bucket of water for at least 15 minutes. Thoroughly wet any large fireworks display boxes as well.
- The safest option is to leave the debris soaking overnight. Once you are certain the fireworks are completely saturated, drain any excess water and place the debris in a sealable plastic bag to help retain moisture. For added protection, consider double-bagging. The goal is to keep the debris from drying out and reigniting.
- Place the bagged fireworks debris as far away as possible from your home and anything else that could catch fire until it can be disposed of properly.