CPD reminds residents of fireworks ordinance within city limits

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – The new year is just around the corner and many people are preparing to take part in various festivities and celebrations.

However, city leaders in Columbus want residents to make sure shooting fireworks isn’t a part of their celebrations.

The city has an ordinance banning fireworks from being discharged within city limits.

Police Chief Fred Shelton his department has responded to numerous calls where someone has been injured while improperly using fireworks.

If anyone is caught shooting fireworks, they will be given a citation and fined more than $250.

We’ve had situations where they have exploded in people’s hands, where they have caused accidents, where glass has shattered. Instead of using them the right way, they will throw them at people, and again, it can cause a lot of injuries to the Body, and peoples faith. You will see people who want to put them in a coke bottle and shoot it off, and then the firework will backfire and that bottle explodes,” said Chief Shelton.

“Based on the distance of structures here in the city of Columbus, there is a chance that you can catch a neighbor’s house on fire, or the hedges, or maybe even some miscellaneous trash piles around your property,” said Columbus Fire Department Captain Marco Rodriguez.

Shelton said the law has been in place for more than 30 years.