What Dangerous 'Toy' Burns Hotter than Cooking Oil?

The Fourth of July ... the perfect time of year to set off small explosions in your backyard, right?

Wrong.

Massachusetts has some very strict regulations regarding the sale, possession and transport of fireworks, and when you look at the numbers, you'll understand why.

Basically, "The law prohibits any article designed to produce a visible or audible effect," according to a fireworks safety fact sheet published by the state.

The penalties for breaking the law include up to a year in jail for selling fireworks to fines ranging from $10 to $1,000 depending on the situation.

Newton Fire Lt. Eric Fricke said that his department rarely sees blatant fireworks violations among private citizens, but, he pointed out, even professional displays can run into complications.

Last year, Newton's professional display from Albemarle Park was one of several professional shows throughout the state that apparently included some "bad fireworks" that failed to explode.

"Fortunately, we have big open area where we do the show," Fricke said. "The unexploded shells that they found were still in the park and not in somebody's backyard or drifted across into the road."

But even the so-called "safe and sane" fireworks can be extremely dangerous.

"Sparklers are burning metal," Fricke said. "Magnesium and other flammable metals burn in the neighborhood of 1,500 and 1,900 degrees depending on what materials you're talking about."