Spent Fireworks May Have Led To Waukesha Garage Fire: Report

WAUKESHA, WI -- Hand-held sparklers burn at a temperature of 1,800 degrees, and fire officials in Waukesha say the improper disposal of spent fireworks may have led to a garage fire on the 200 block of Tenny Ave. early Friday morning.

The Fire Department reminds everyone, that whenever you dispose of items in trash cans make sure they are cool to the touch. “We recommend placing sprinklers and other hot materials in a bucket of water and allow them to remain there overnight to ensure that they are out, before disposing of them in any trash container,” Assistant Fire Chief Joseph Hoffman said in a statement to Patch.

The City of Waukesha Fire Department responded at just after 12:30 a.m. Friday to a reported garage fire at 237 Tenny Ave. Crews arrived on scene and saw visible flames climbing the exterior of a detached garage at that address. Fire officials said firefighters quickly brought the fire under control several minutes later.

The Waukesha fire department said that the fire started in the trash cans that were stored on the exterior of the garage. Fire officials said people were shooting off fireworks approximately an hour before the incident, but all people questioned by the Police and Fire Department denied placing anything in the trash can where the fire started.

Authorities say the incident is still currently under investigation. An initial damage estimate is estimated at $30,000.

“A general rule of thumb is anything that leaves the ground is not allowed to be shot off in
the City of Waukesha, without a City of Waukesha Permit. These permits cannot be bought at a fireworks stand,” Hoffman said. “As demonstrated yesterday, at our own Communities fireworks show, fireworks even in the hands of professionals can cause injuries and have unexpected results.”