New Year’s Fireworks Cause $1.2M in Damage in Texas’ Harris County

The Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office says a dozen fires blamed on fireworks in unincorporated areas of Texas’ most populous county over New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day caused about $1.2 million in damage.

Fire Marshal Mike Montgomery says seven of the blazes were the result of improperly discarded fireworks. He says that problem could be eased if people discarded fireworks in water and in a metal trash can away from buildings or combustible materials.

Besides the monetary damages, Montgomery says at least four people were hurt by fireworks.

Harris County includes most of Houston and several suburbs where fireworks are illegal but the pyrotechnics are allowed in unincorporated areas of the county.