Weekend fire calls cost one area city over $10,000

KENNETT, Mo. -- Fire calls resulting from fireworks had the Kennett Fire Department busy over the weekend, costing the city more than $10,000 in personnel costs, the Daily Dunklin Democrat reported.

According to Kennett Fire Chief John Mallott, there were approximately 25 fire calls on the July 4 holiday.

"[The department] had about 20 grass fire that were a result of fireworks," Mallott said. "They had about five structure fires."

Mallott said some of the structure fires were abandoned and condemned buildings, which the department "protected the exposures" and let them burn down. He said structure fires were reported on Washington Avenue, Frisco Street, Second Street, Baldwin Street and in the Wheeler Estates.

"[The department also] had a vehicle fire the other day where kids were going down the alley shooting bottle rockets and caught a vehicle on fire," Mallott said. "It cost the city a little over $13,000 for the related costs on the fire runs. That is just personnel costs, that is not truck times and [other related costs]."

Mallott said there was evidence that the fires resulted from fireworks.

"There were either fireworks laying around or neighbors telling us that kids were in the area with bottle rockets and fireworks. The one over on Frisco and East Washington, there was a neighbor who had seen some boys riding down the street on bicycles with bottle rockets shooting them off into people's yards. About five minutes later, that is when [the department] got the fire call."

Mallott said this Independence Day was busier than normal, attributing the cause to the dry weather.

"Normally, we are not this busy," Mallott said. "The problem is, we have not had a rain in four to five weeks and it was excessively dry. We got a little bit of a spot rain on Saturday night that didn't amount to much at all.

"Really, what should have probably happened was ... they should have had a burn ban and fireworks ban with as dry as it was."

Although Mallott said some cities have banned fireworks, he made it clear that there has been no talk of banning them in Kennett.

"People are going to go get fireworks," Mallott said.

"Even if you cut it out in the city, they are going to go out and buy them. The biggest problem is getting the public to realize there is a safe way to enjoy the Fourth. Kids are going to do what kids do. If you have parental supervision, you have a little more control. That is the key. Enjoy the Fourth, but enjoy it in a safe manner."