Blog @ Work

Fireworks, when things blow up

Prompt: How do you feel about firework displays? Professional or Amateur? How do you feel about the latest trends with music? Are they popular in other parts of the world or is it just an US tradition? If so tell us about them.(BCoFs)

Fireworks with or without music is really a feature of the States on your Independence Day, July 4th. We only celebrate the usual at the ending of each year.

When I think of fireworks my mind immediately takes me back 16 years ago to Enschede, an eastern town in my country. There the biggest disaster in modern history of our nation took place.

The Enschede fireworks disaster was a catastrophic fireworks explosion occurring at the SE Fireworks depot on 13 May 2000 at 13.00 GMT,

The fire led to an enormous explosion which killed 23 people including four firefighters and injured 947. 400 homes were destroyed and 1500 buildings damaged. The first explosion had a strength in the order of 800 kg THT equivalence, while the strength of the final explosion was within the range of 4000–5000 kg TNT. The biggest blast was felt up to 30 kilometers (19 miles) from the scene. Fire crews were called in from across the border in Germany to help battle the blaze; it was brought under control by the end of the day.

It appeared that the fire began in the work area of the central building where some 900 kg of fireworks were stored. This fire then extended to two full containers that had been stored illegally outside the building. The fireworks bunker ignition caused the explosion of 177 tons of fireworks, virtually destroying the area.

This was a huge disaster, with a lot of firework, but in the last couple of years there have been many little accidents with illegal fireworks stored in cellars and sheds. It is very dangerous and it is a little scary to think that one of my neighbors could easily store fireworks somewhere and we would never know this until it’s too late.

In my country in the last couple of years there have been more displays of bombs, ie. big loud fireworks, instead of the colorful decorative fireworks. A lot of accidents happen because of this (hands, eyes), why the government is trying to ban amateur fireworks in favor of organized professional fireworks displays. At the beginning of each year there is this discussion going on and there are talks about providing no-go areas in cities for fireworks during New Year’s Eve, some cities have implemented this already. Because of the accidents (637 injured in 2015) I am in favor. Better safe than sorry.

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