Important notice from Hungarian disaster management for New Year’s Eve

Fireworks on New Year’s Eve should not be set off from the windows or balconies of houses, especially apartment buildings, as this is extremely dangerous and can cause fire and accidents, the spokesman of the National Directorate General for Disaster Management (OKF) warned in a statement sent to MTI on Wednesday.

Dániel Mukics added that last New Year’s Eve, 37 fires were caused by the use of fireworks. There were cases where a building or a car caught fire due to pyrotechnic products, but mostly firefighters were called to the burning remains of thuja, trash cans and fireworks.

Last year, a ten-storey apartment building in Miskolc caught fire after fireworks fell on a balcony, forcing forty residents to temporarily evacuate the building. The apartment was rendered uninhabitable, three tenants were taken in by relatives and five people suffered smoke inhalation, the spokesman recalled.

The noise caused several dogs to become frightened and trapped, and the animals had to be rescued by the fire brigade; this happened in Erdőkertes, for example. Take care of your pets!

The spokesman asked never to buy fireworks in underpasses, markets or “from the boot” because they are not safe. He added that New Year’s Eve fireworks can be purchased between 28 and 31 December at designated legal outlets, typically in containers set up in the parking lots of malls and large stores, which are also monitored by the emergency services.

Dániel Mukics said that it is important to keep fireworks at a safe distance from heating devices, from the stove, because heat can cause them to start prematurely, and not to store them together with other combustible materials. Keep them out of sunlight, humidity and water, and out of the reach of children and pets, the spokesman said.

He also pointed out that if a firework has got wet, it should not be used even after it has dried because it is not safe to use. The hot remains of used fireworks should only be thrown in the bin after they have cooled down, as they often cause the ignition of bins, cars and buildings near bins.

On New Year’s Eve, as on other days of the year, 2000 firefighters will be on standby with 500 vehicles. The emergency services are asking people to call 112 if they see a fire, a person or an animal in danger.

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