RICHMOND, Virginia – As Independence Day approached, a Richmond woman reached out to CBS 6 Problem Solvers and said she had endured fireworks near her home in the Eastview Community for two months. She said the trend started around the same time last year.
This week, the Richmond Fire Department held a press conference to remind the public that fireworks were banned in the city, except for permitted public displays conducted by professionals.
“Fully developed fireworks. We don’t even have to go to The Diamond. We can be right here,” said the Eastview Community woman, who refused to be identified.
Their neighborhood was between Mosby and Whitcomb Courts. She said most of the noise came from Fairfield Way and Accommodation Street.
“They were like cannons, and it has sounded like a war zone here since the May 1st weekend,” she said.
On Tuesday evening, the Eastview woman recorded the pop and crackle of fireworks that she said were shot down between 10 p.m. and midnight.
“Last night it was six times. The first three times was at 10 am. Back to back. Three big bangs that sounded like a cannon,” she said. “And so I got my cell phone and came out and tried to hear the sound, which I did. And I saw the fireworks in the sky, so I knew they were firing rockets.”
The woman said she called the police about three times a week for two months and was frustrated that the fireworks continued.
“I emailed my councilor and then the lieutenant in the 25th precinct,” she said. “Something has to be done, something must be done about these loud fireworks.”
In an email from Richmond Police Lt. Mark Sims to the Eastview Community Ms. said Lt. Sims that the fireworks code is not criminally enforceable by the police.
Instead, the police asked the firefighter to deal with the charges.
“Possession of fireworks is punishable by a fine of US $ 2,500 and up to a year in prison,” said Battalion chief Earl Dyer, Fire Marshall of the City of Richmond.
In a press conference Wednesday, Dyer outlined the dangers of launching fireworks and encouraged anyone wishing to report it to contact the fire department so they can dispatch one of their fire department assistants to catch the perpetrator in the act.
“As soon as we find out who they are, that they have the fireworks, we will confiscate the fireworks. And we’ve summoned these people to court more than once, ”Dyer said.
The Eastview Community woman said she planned to contact the Richmond Fire Department as the July 4th holidays drew near.
“It will not be a pleasant vacation for me,” she said. “Right now, I’m just annoyed about it. I really don’t want to be here in my own house.”