Denver Police Seize 1100 lbs. of Illegal Fireworks

Tag : Police Glove
DENVER (MyFoxColorado.com) - The police crackdown on illegalfireworks has started across Colorado. One Denver man found out thehard way the cost of celebrating our nation's birthday withexplosives.

His security system should have protected the homeowner, but itactually hurt him. Police responded to an alarm at his house at1180 S. Julian St. "It came out as a garage doorbreach," says Denver Police spokesman, Sonny Jackson.

"We don't know what tripped the alarm. Whatever it was, fateor good luck on our part. We're glad to get this off thestreet."

That stuff is between 1,200 and 1,500 lbs. of illegal fireworks. Itwas packed inside a garage at the man's home.

Firefighters carried out more than 50 cases of explosives."This is qualitative to having a meth lab in your yard. Hadthis gone off, it could have been catastrophic," says Jackson.

They believe the man was repackaging the fireworks to sell them.

Earlier in the morning, Denver's bomb squad proved how dangerousfireworks can be. They blew up some melons, a glove, and severaltrees--which also caught fire. "Everything is illegal. Assimple as a sparkler. This will burn at 1,500 to 2,000degrees," says Denver Fire Chief Nick Nuanes.

So anything that ignites, that leaves the ground, burns, smokes orsparkles is illegal, says Nuanes. "The only legal fireworks inDenver are snap caps."

The fine for possessing, buying or selling illegal fireworks is upto a $999 and a year in jail.

Check with your county law enforcement or fire department to findout what the rules are in your town.