Dangers lurk on July 4 — ask the exploding chicken

Residents buy fireworks from a stand at U.S. 87 and Triple Tree Street. The stand opened for the holiday on June 24 and will close at midnight Friday. Residents buy fireworks from a stand at U.S. 87 and Triple Tree Street. The stand opened for the holiday on June 24 and will close at midnight Friday. Photo: Jerry Lara, San Antonio Express-News Photo: Jerry Lara, San Antonio Express-News Image 1 of / 81 Caption Close Dangers lurk on July 4 — ask the exploding chicken 1 / 81 Back to Gallery

SAN ANTONIO — Scraps of an exploding chicken breast hurtled through the air Wednesday at the Fire Department Training Academy, prompting spectators to flinch as they were pelted with tiny chunks of fowl.

In preparation for the upcoming Independence Day weekend, the Fire Department took an unorthodox approach to displaying the dangers of fireworks: by stuffing them into watermelons, hot dogs and various other food items.

A firefighter — dressed as if he was about to run into a burning building — lit a sparkler and sandwiched it between two pieces of lunch meat. Within about 20 seconds, the meat was burnt crisp.

“Parents give sparklers to little kids all the time,” spokeswoman Deborah Foster said. “But look at what it does to this lunch meat. Sparklers reach 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit.”

Not only are fireworks dangerous, but it's also illegal to purchase, use or transport them within the city limits of San Antonio, said Deputy Chief Carl Wedige. It is illegal to transport fireworks through San Antonio if they are in the passenger area of a vehicle in plain site, according to House Bill 1813. It is only legal to transport fireworks through the city if they’re stowed away and out of site.

A violation of the fireworks laws will result in a Class C misdemeanor, which can carry a fine up to $2,000.

Wedige said the SAFD responded to 26 brush and grass fires last year that may have started due to fireworks.

The Fire Department is urging residents to call 207-0202 between 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. on the Fourth of July to report the use of fireworks within the city limits.

Last year, there were 357 calls to the hotline and 12 citations issued, Wedige said.

As an alternative, SAFD recommends residents attend one of the multiple professional fireworks displays slated for the weekend.

mferman@express-news.net

Twitter: @MitchellFerman

Clarification: This story was updated to clarify fireworks laws.