6 months of repairs: Spring woman lost everything from a rogue firework
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Spring firefighters shared images of the damage caused to a home that had a firework get stuck in the chimney. Angela Dipolito spoke to ABC13 nearly a year later to talk about what happened to her house.
"I had to be taken all the way down to the studs," Dipolito recalled. "A new roof. New windows."
Spring firefighters said the firework was fired by someone else. No one was ever caught. The rouge firework caused thousands of dollars of damages.
"Six months out of my home waiting for repairs," Dipolito recalled.
New laws that target incidents where injury and property damage are caused by fireworks
A Texas law that went into effect less than two years ago targets incidents like the one that happened last year in Spring. If you're found to be reckless, you could face a felony.
"Dealing with fireworks is a very serious matter, and this added a little bit of bite to it so that if somebody doesn't do things properly and causes harm to others, whether it be property or personal injury, they can be held accountable," Spring Fire Department District Chief Chris Vonwiesenthal explained.
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Fireworks aren't legal everywhere. Some cities, including Houston, won't allow you to use them.
If they are allowed, know you can't be within 600 feet of a school. You also can't go to a private business and set off fireworks in a parking lot.
Despite "no fireworks" signs, people took over a parking lot off State Highway 6 two years ago near Voss Road in Fort Bend County.
A woman was seriously hurt, and people left a large amount of debris in the lot.
"It's considered trespassing," Vonwiesenthal explained. "It's also illegal to be doing things like that. It's important to know where you can and where you can't."
Firefighters share what you can do to keep safe while using fireworks
Spring firefighters say some of their busiest shifts are around Independence Day.
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"Seeing people disappointed in themselves not knowing and being fully educated on what could happen with something as normal as Fourth of July fireworks," Spring firefighter Lucas Hale said.
When buying fireworks, they say the most important thing is to read the instructions.
When shooting them, make sure children aren't nearby and have a water source in case something goes wrong.
Injuries from fireworks are a call that firefighters know too well. "About 10,000 people a year in Texas alone," Vonwiesenthal said. "That's a considerable amount. That's larger than many cities in Texas."
It's not just what you do during but after that's important. Officials say you should throw the debris in a metal can and fill it with water or sand. Also, don't leave it in your garage.
The good news is there aren't burn bans, but it doesn't mean a fire can't start.
"It's been 100-plus degrees going on two weeks now," Spring Fire Department Captain Brent Silvey said. "The grasses - I'm sure people are going to notice in their yard they're starting to die."