With Independence Day celebrations fast approaching, city officials and public safety experts gathered Wednesday morning at the Berks County Fire Training Center to demonstrate the dangers of consumer and illegal fireworks in a dramatic safety event designed to inform and caution residents.
Fire Marshal Jeremy Searfoss of the City of Reading led the demonstration, joined by Mayor Eddie Moran, Lieutenant Nicholas Epolito of the Reading Police Department and Bomb Squad, and several city officials. The event featured live demonstrations showing how fireworks can ignite fires, cause serious injuries, and, in the case of illegal explosives, even result in death.
“People need to remember these are explosives,” Searfoss said, holding up a store-bought firework. “Once it’s lit, it can’t be stopped. We’ve seen people lean over to check a dud and end up losing their eyesight. These are not toys.”
Searfoss emphasized that even legally sold consumer fireworks carry significant risks, including high temperatures and unpredictable burn patterns. A visual demonstration showed a seemingly ordinary consumer firework igniting a household pillow placed nearby—underscoring how easily a backyard celebration can turn into an emergency.
The fire marshal also highlighted a local ordinance prohibiting the use of aerial and explosive fireworks within the City of Reading, regardless of whether they are legal under state law. “The density of our neighborhoods means it’s virtually impossible to meet the state’s 150-foot safety requirement,” Searfoss said. “In the city, if it goes up or goes bang, it’s illegal.”
Lieutenant Epolito echoed those warnings, presenting examples of mortars and improvised explosives—such as so-called “M-1000s” or “quarter sticks”—often seized by police. “These are homemade, illegally manufactured, and incredibly dangerous,” he said. “You never know how long the fuse will burn or how powerful the explosion will be. People have lost fingers, limbs, even their lives.”
The bomb squad team demonstrated the destructive power of one such device by detonating it inside a watermelon. The resulting explosion obliterated the fruit instantly, offering a visceral illustration of what can happen to a hand or face in close proximity.
Mayor Moran, who attended the event and observed the live tests, described the experience as an “eye-opener.”
“I watched a firework I thought had finished suddenly reignite,” Moran said. “If I hadn’t known better, I might have walked toward it and been injured. It reminded me how deceptive and dangerous these things can be.”
Moran urged residents to attend professional fireworks displays instead of setting off their own. “We have safe, beautiful shows like the ones at the Reading Phillies stadium. Leave it to the professionals.”
Throughout the event, officials stressed safety measures for families choosing to use legal sparklers. They advised keeping a safe distance from flammable materials, avoiding roadways or crowded areas, and having a bucket of water or fire extinguisher nearby. Even when submerged, officials warned, used fireworks can remain dangerous once dry.
The Reading Police Department and Bomb Squad will be actively patrolling the city on July 4 to enforce fireworks laws. Epolito said officers will confiscate illegal fireworks and issue citations where appropriate. Any fires or injuries linked to fireworks will be investigated jointly with the fire marshal’s office.
“This isn’t about ruining the fun,” Searfoss said. “It’s about making sure everyone gets through the holiday safely and without tragedy.”