ALAQUA LAKES, Fla. – Fireworks placed in a garage after being used on the Fourth of July caused a fire at a 6,000-square-foot home in Seminole County, fire officials said.
No one was injured in the two-alarm fire, which broke out Thursday night in the 2400 block of Alaqua Drive, which is in a gated community in Longwood.
The Seminole County Fire Department said people were inside the home when the garage caught on fire.
“Initial reports are that the fire was started due to used fireworks that had been left in the garage,” the department said in a statement.
The fire was mostly contained to the garage, but extensive smoke and water damage extended into the house, displacing the residents, according to fire officials.
Lake Mary, Longwood and Sanford fire departments assisted SCFD with 23 units that responded to the home. No firefighters were injured.
Our News 6 team met with Lt. Dave Williams with SCFD Friday to talk about their response on the Fourth of July holiday, and what they expect for the weekend ahead.
Lt. Williams says their crews responded to four fires on Thursday that were directly a result of fireworks.
“One of the fires that we had yesterday in Oviedo, that we assisted Oviedo in, were fireworks that were set off to the side of the house. It caught the mulch on fire, went to the fence, and it melted and caught the house on fire,” said Lt. Williams.
Williams says the fire department usually sees an uptick in these fires during holidays like the Fourth of July and New Year’s.
“So, comparatively, you know, New Year’s Eve is another time we do a lot of fireworks,” said Williams. “This past New Year’s Eve we had two structure fires related to fireworks.”
Williams says one family last year put used fireworks in a wet bag and thought that would be enough.
“You know, those embers can go for hours and all it takes is that little ember to get next to the plastic and catch whatever it is on fire,” said Lt. Williams. “And it may not be your house. It may be the fence that goes to your neighbor’s house. It could be your neighbor’s house that burns down.”
SCFD expects more families will enjoy fireworks this weekend. They shared these common sense reminders with us to make sure a fun holiday weekend, is also a safe one:
What do I do with used fireworks?
Firefighters in Seminole County say when you’re done with your fireworks, put them away from anything that burns. They recommend putting discarded materials in a bucket full of water, away from your home, and on the concrete.
“First, while you’re having the fun, if you light a firework and it doesn’t go off, please don’t go up to try and reignite it,” said Lt. Williams. “And, once you’re done with those fireworks let them cool off for 5 to 10 minutes, grab that firework, and put it in a bucket full of water.
Lt. Williams says let that bucket of water sit out on the end of the street overnight.
“When you wake up in the morning, drain the water out and then go ahead and leave it curbside,” said Lt. Williams.
Can I store fireworks and use them next year?
SCFD says you should avoid using leftover fireworks at a later date.
“It’s not a great idea,” said Lt. Williams. “Unfortunately, in Florida, the humidity is so high that the materials that burn inside, they’re not going to burn next year. So, properly dispose of them.”
What should I do if I live in an apartment complex or condo?
“That’s another thing we’re seeing a lot,” said Lt. Williams. “They put them in a bag or trashcan or anything, they take them to the dumpster, and we have dumpster fires.”
Lt. Williams says they responded to six active dumpster fires on the Fourth of July this year.
“It may not be your property per se that is burning, it could just be a dumpster, but what’s in a dumpster?” asked Lt. Williams. “You know, there’s so many hazardous materials that are in those.”