Binghamton Mayor David: Jump in Fireworks Incidents Dangerous

The City of Binghamton says it has had to respond to a huge increase in fireworks complaints for weeks.

A day after officials say an explosion and fire in a rent-a-john in Johnson City may have been sparked by fireworks, Binghamton Mayor Richard David says since Memorial Day, City Police have responded to close to six times the fireworks complaints as last year.

The Mayor issued a statement saying last weekend, Binghamton had 45 complaints with other upstate cities like Syracuse and Albany also seeing similar spikes in complaints

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David says illegal fireworks are more than an annoyance for neighbors trying to sleep and possible panic for pets sensitive to loud noises, it also takes police away from more serious complaints.  The mayor also points out the devices can also cause fires, especially given recent dry conditions, and can be dangerous to children.

The Mayor says he wants Binghamton residents to be “good neighbors and stop setting off illegal fireworks.”  The Republican says he is also directing the Binghamton Police Community Response Team to crack down on illegal fireworks through the 4^th of July weekend.