With the 4th of July holiday just around the corner, a new report from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) highlights firework-related hazards.

In 2023, there were eight deaths reported and an estimated 9,700 injuries involving fireworks. Out of the eight deaths, five were associated with firework misuse, two with a device malfunction, and one involved unknown circumstances.

The report shows that between 2008 and 2023, injuries from fireworks increased overall, despite recent data showing a steady decline since the peak in 2020 during the pandemic when public displays were canceled.

“While it is a great American tradition to enjoy fireworks around the 4th of July, it is important to remember that all fireworks, even sparklers, pose dangers to consumers. The safest way to view fireworks is to watch professional displays,” said CPSC Chair Alex Hoehn-Saric. “If you choose to light your own, make sure you only buy legal fireworks intended for consumer use from a reputable retailer. And follow the simple safety tips provided below and on CPSC’s website.”

To understand more about fireworks-related injuries hazards around the 4th of July, CPSC conducted an analysis of the injury data in the four weeks surrounding the holiday in 2023 and found the following:

• Teens ages 15 to 19 had the highest estimated rate of emergency department treated fireworks-related injuries, with children ages 5-9 years old having the second highest rate.
• There were an estimated 800 emergency department treated injuries associated with firecrackers and 700 with sparklers.
• The parts of the body most often injured by fireworks were hands and fingers (an estimated 35 percent of injuries) along with head, face and ears (an estimated 22 percent).
• About 42 percent of the emergency department treated fireworks-related injuries were for burns.
• In fiscal year 2023, approximately 18 percent of selected and tested fireworks products were found to contain non-compliant components, including fuse violations, the presence of prohibited chemicals and pyrotechnic materials overload.