Fatal Liberty blast highlights ATF warning on illegal fireworks

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has issued a warning about the severe dangers of illegal explosive devices, a caution amplified by a deadly explosion in Liberty Township and the grim memory of a fatal blast in Beaver Township.

“They are dangerous explosives, not playthings for amusement,” said Eric DeGree, special agent in charge of the ATF Philadelphia Field Division, in a news release issued just days before the Liberty blast. “Just handling these devices puts you and anyone else around at risk of serious injury or death.”

DeGree's warning comes as the July 4th holiday approaches, a time often associated with fireworks. However, the ATF distinguishes between legal consumer fireworks and illicit devices that pose significant threats.

The dangers of such explosives were brought into focus Saturday in Liberty Township, Ohio, where an explosion critically injured three people and destroyed a home on East Montrose Street. Liberty Fire Chief Douglas Theobald said investigators suspect illegal fireworks as a possible cause.

“This is a pretty significant explosion for fireworks,” Theobald told 21 News. “Again, reminds people… leave the fireworks to the professionals.”

The incident in Liberty Township echoes a far deadlier event that occurred decades ago in Mahoning County. On May 20, 1985, nine people were killed in Beaver Township when illegal fireworks they were manufacturing in a shed exploded. The blast was heard more than 20 miles away and left a crater 10 feet wide and 5 feet deep.

The ATF collaborates with state and local fire and police departments, as well as federal agencies like the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, to combat the manufacture and sale of these devices.

Tim Brooks, a certified explosive specialist bomb technician with the Philadelphia Police Department Bomb Disposal Unit assigned to the ATF Philadelphia Arson and Explosives Task Force, emphasized the unpredictable nature of these devices.

“They’ll blow your hand or face off,” Brooks said. “These devices are manufactured without safety oversight or quality control. The fillers inside occasionally contain small rocks that, when bumped together, can cause the slightest spark and set these off!”

Under federal law, it is illegal to manufacture, store, distribute, receive, or transport explosive materials without a federal explosives license or permit. Violations can lead to up to 10 years in federal prison.

The ATF advises the public to be aware of signs that a device may be an illegal explosive:

• They are sold in non-commercial locations, such as from a vehicle or residence.
• The seller lacks a receipt or commercial packaging.
• The device is often 1 to 6 inches long and up to an inch or more in diameter.
• The casing resembles a roll of coins with a fuse or is made of cardboard tubes.
• The outer covering is red, silver, or brown.
• The device looks oddly shaped and wrapped in brown paper, filled with explosive material.

The ATF urges anyone who encounters or possesses such devices to exercise extreme caution and contact their local police or fire departments, or the ATF tip line at 888-ATF-BOMB (283-2662), 888-ATF-TIPS (283-8477), ATFTips@atf.gov, or via the ReportIt® app.