BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. — Authorities haven’t determined the official cause of a fire that left 25 residents of a Blue Springs apartment complex homeless – but they strongly suspect that fireworks were the cause, and it has led some to call for a total ban on fireworks in the city altogether.
The Fourth of July blaze at the Autumn Place Apartments destroyed 24 units. Residents there say that even as firefighters were desperately trying to save their homes, people were still setting off fireworks nearby.
“They just want to have fun,” said resident Phyllis Fitch, who lost everything in the fire. “That’s all they think about, and their fun cost us dearly.”
The official cause of the fire has yet to be determined, but Assistant Fire Chief Eddie Saffell says that he doesn’t doubt that it was started by fireworks landing on a second-floor deck that started the inferno. Unlike many places across the metro area, fireworks are legal in Blue Springs.
“We have come out publicly against them just because they are dangerous,” said Saffell. But he admits that outlawing fireworks in Blue Springs would hurt many non-profit groups.
“When you’re looking at churches and scouts and other groups, they make a lot of their yearly budget on this week,” said Saffell.
But Autumn Place residents like Ray Ostendorf say that fireworks simply aren’t worth the risk.
“Right now, I’m still kind of traumatized and in shock,” said Ostendorf. “I lost my apartment and I think people should wake up to that.”
“I think they should definitely be banned completely,” added Phyllis Fitch. “Because as dry as it is, as hot as it is, people do not use common sense.”