Hundreds of Pounds of Fireworks Confiscated in Dallas and Fort Worth

DPD responds to more than 2,000 calls for fireworks

Independence Day turned out to be a busy evening for Dallas Fire-Rescue, Fort Worth Fire Department and emergency medical responders.

Officials at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas said they treated only one reveler overnight for a fireworks-related injury, though it was a serious one where a person lost two fingers after a firework exploded while in the person's hand.

On Friday afternoon, DFR said they responded to 24 reported grass fires between 9 p.m. Thursday and 6 a.m. Friday. DFR said only six of those fires could be confirmed as to have been started by fireworks and that most of the fires were very small and were out by the time firefighters arrived.

Dallas Fire-Rescue inspectors teamed up with the Dallas Police Department to patrol locations in five districts in the city.  Fire officials said seven people were cited for illegal use and possession of fireworks. 

This year, during patrols of five parts of Dallas, more than 350 lbs of fireworks were confiscated by firefighters and Dallas police officers.  The number of seized fireworks is 194 percent higher than the 181 lbs confiscated in 2012, DFR said.

Dallas police said they responded to about 2,298 calls for fireworks in the city overnight.  In Plano, police responded to about 125 calls about fireworks.  Numbers from Fort Worth were not readily available.

Dallas fire officials also said they also responded to four structure fires during that time period -- all of which are under investigation.

The Fort Worth Fire Department said they received approximately 900 fireworks violations calls, confiscated several hundred pounds of fireworks and received reports of more than 100 grass fires.

The Fort Worth FD said one firefighter was injured while responding to a fireworks violation call on Fort Worth's eastside. Fort Worth FD said they will have crews out on patrols Friday night.

NBC 5's Ben Russell contributed to this story.

Editor's note, Dallas police originally reported responding to 520 calls for fireworks, but later updated that number to 2,298.

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