Most fireworks deaths result from unsafe handling. But even correct use can kill or injure well-meaning and safety-minded people. Fireworks can misfire, discharge in the wrong direction or ignite all at once in a massive, uncontrollable explosion.
Simple mistakes, like holding a firework at a wrong angle, have killed users and bystanders by shooting the explosive in an unexpected direction. Mortar launch malfunctions killed eight people in separate events in 2022. A quick-match fireworks fuse killed and nearly decapitated one man the year before.
Regardless of how careful you are, flaws in equipment and explosives are a leading cause of fireworks injuries and deaths — and more people are harmed every year.
Even legally purchased fireworks can have unsafe — even illegal — contents. This can cause fireworks to malfunction and kill or injure people nearby, despite proper handling.
Nearly half of the publicly sold fireworks examined by CPSC’s Office of Compliance and Field Operations in 2022 contained dangerously modified fuses, banned chemicals or unsafe levels of explosive materials.
Even Sparklers Can Cause Severe Eye Injuries and Death
Sparklers can be especially dangerous, as they burn at more than 2,000 degrees Farenheit. Sparklers were responsible for 600 fireworks injuries in the latest report, and a sparkler mishap caused one of the fireworks deaths reported in 2017. Children are often allowed to play with sparklers because these fireworks are considered relatively harmless. But that couldn't be farther from the truth.
Children and young adults are frequent victims of serious fireworks injuries. Children age 15 and under accounted for about one-third of the total injuries, according to the commission's report. Teenagers 15 to 19 years old were most likely to require emergency treatment for fireworks injuries. Firecrackers were the top cause of injury, sending more than 1,300 people to the emergency room.
How to Treat a Fireworks Eye Injury
The most recent Consumer Product Safety Commission report found that 16% of fireworks injuries were eye injuries. In the most severe cases, fireworks can rupture the globe of the eye, cause chemical and thermal burns, corneal abrasions and retinal detachment — all of which can cause permanent eye damage and vision loss.
Fireworks-related eye injuries can combine blunt force trauma, heat burns and chemical exposure. An eye injury from fireworks is a medical emergency. Call 911 or seek immediate medical care. In the meantime, follow these guidelines:
- Do not rub your eyes.
- Do not rinse your eyes.
- Do not apply pressure.
- Do not remove any objects that are stuck in the eye.
- Do not apply ointments or take any blood-thinning pain medications such as aspirin or ibuprofen unless directed by a doctor.
Fireworks Safety Rules
The best way to avoid a potentially blinding fireworks injury is by attending a professional fireworks show rather than purchasing fireworks for home use.
If you attend a fireworks show
Fireworks safety at home
If you decide to use consumer fireworks in states where they are legal, follow these safety tips from the Consumer Product Safety Commission:
- Do not allow young children to play with fireworks. Sparklers, a firework often considered "safe" for children, burn at extremely high temperatures (2,000 degrees Fahrenheit) and should be NOT be handled by young children. Children may not understand the danger involved with fireworks and may not act appropriately while using the devices or in case of emergency.
- All users and bystanders should wear eye protection that meets the criteria set by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).
- Close adult supervision is required at all times when older children or teens use fireworks.
- Do not allow any running or horseplay.
- Set off fireworks outdoors in a clear area, away from houses, dry leaves, or grass and other flammable materials.
- Keep a bucket of water nearby for emergencies and for pouring on fireworks that fail to ignite or explode.
- Do not try to relight or handle malfunctioning or "dud" fireworks. Soak them with water and throw them away.
- Make sure all other people are at least 500 feet away before lighting fireworks.
- Never light fireworks in a container, especially a glass or metal container.
- Keep unused fireworks away from firing areas.
- Store fireworks in a cool, dry place.
- Check instructions for special storage directions.
- Observe local laws.
- Never hover any body part over a firework while lighting.
- Do not experiment with homemade fireworks.