Illegal fireworks to blame for Orem house fire, police say

OREM — Illegal fireworks are to blame for an Orem house fire that caused $40,000 damage Wednesday.

Home video showed smoke billowing out the side of the house near 1200 North and 700 West as crews worked frantically to douse the flames.

The fireworks were a multishot mortar, which is illegal under current Utah law — and would be under a new relaxed fireworks law, which takes effect June 26 with an extended fireworks season, Orem Police Sgt. Craig Martinez said Friday.

Investigators said a 28-year-old man living with his parents lit the fireworks.

"He buried most of it in the ground, which made it so when the fireworks shot, they didn't go up as high as they should have," Martinez said. "They just went a few feet off the ground and in the wrong direction."

The fireworks hit a shed, starting a fire there. The blaze extended to the home, essentially burning a hole through the wall. The fire melted off the siding of the home next door and destroyed a vinyl fence. Restoration crews were on site Friday.

The man, who is not being identified by police, was cited with misdemeanor possession of illegal fireworks. The city attorney is considering additional charges.

Mortar fireworks are still outlawed under the new statute, which is designed to give Utahns more "spectacular" fireworks displays. While cake fireworks that launch up to 150 feet in the air are permitted, mortars, bottle rockets, sky rockets, roman candles, cherry bombs, M80s and firecrackers are not.

"Fireworks — they're inherently a fire hazard. Somebody's got to use them the right way," Martinez said. "Burying them in your backyard, lighting them off obviously is not the way to do it."

— Andrew Adams