The Kansas City Fire Department believes fireworks were to blame for two separate residential fires Wednesday afternoon and early Thursday.
Deputy Chief Jimmy Walker said firefighters were called to a home on the 3500 block of 60th Street about noon on Wednesday. That fire, believed to be caused by fireworks, left significant damage to the home, Walker said.
No one was injured.
Overnight, the fire department battled a blaze at a two-story home on the 3300 block of Bales Avenue.
Firefighters responded to that call around 2 a.m. Thursday.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a total loss because it’s still standing,” Walker said. “But it’s substantial damage.”
An elderly resident safely fled the home, but two firefighters sustained burns to their ears and necks, Walker said. They were treated and released from a local hospital.
It’s unclear when the fire began — Walker said the fireworks could have been smoldering long before igniting the home. He believes the fireworks came from a neighbor, not the resident of the home.
He said the incident is a reminder of the danger of backyard fireworks in an urban environment.
“That’s why fireworks are illegal in the city,” Walker said.
The Kansas City Police Department’s bomb and arson unit is investigating the case.
Last year, the Kansas City Fire Department responded to 25 fireworks-related structure fires on Independence Day.
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