Illegal Fourth of July Fireworks Lead to Injuries & Citations in Santa Maria

SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) - Thousands of illegal fireworks lit up the Santa Maria sky during a very active Fourth of July holiday weekend.

According to the Santa Maria Fire Department, up to 60 citations were handed out for igniting illegal fireworks, which includes all pyrotechnics that are launched into the air.

A citation for illegal fireworks carries a $1,000 fine in the City of Santa Maria.

The Fire Department also reported there were multiple injuries sustained over the weekend, including one incident that resulted in the loss of fingers.

For the fifth straight year, the city also used a high-altitude aircraft with video and GPS technology as an addition enforcement operation.

Due to the nature of the aerial operation, the Fire Department said it will take several days for investigations to go through the video and determine if any citations will be given out.