Brooklyn has been a hotspot for illegal fireworks activity recently, highlighted by two separate incidents that have raised concerns amongst local authorities and the public. On the Fourth of July, an evening intended for celebration turned perilous when unauthorized fireworks were set off in Newtown Barge Park in Greenpoint, resulting in injuries. An anonymous woman recounted to Eyewitness News her harrowing experience of being struck in the head by the explosive, which left her with a ruptured eardrum and her hair on fire.
The unauthorized display caused a scene of chaos, with families and children scrambling for safety. "If you're going to choose to do illegal fireworks on July 4th, at least be savvy enough to do it where you are not going to affect anyone, doing it in the crowd of families is sociopathic," the woman told Eyewitness News. Despite the tensions and the subsequent confrontation with the individuals responsible, those setting off the fireworks seemed dismissive of the gravity of the situation.
In what appears to be a related crackdown, the FDNY recently dismantled an illegal fireworks operation in Flatbush. On June 28, authorities seized $250,000 worth of illegal fireworks from a warehouse. Everbright Trading Co. owner, Lisen Pan, was arrested in connection with the sale of these dangerous items, according to FOX 5 New York. Pan now faces charges including criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree and reckless endangerment in the second degree, among others.
FDNY Commissioner Robert S. Tucker emphasized the risks involved with fireworks, stating, "Fireworks are dangerous and life-threatening, and they have no place in the hands of public," as reported by FOX 5 New York. The investigations and subsequent efforts are ongoing, with the cases against those involved in these incidents being managed by the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office.
