December 30 2003, China Daily, Firework Blast in Liaoning kills 39
Death toll in the blast that ripped through a fireworks factory in Tieling, Northeast China's Liaoning Province has risen to 38, China Central Television (CCTV) reported.
The powerful explosion, which took place at a fireworks factory in Shuangmiaozi, a town located in the city of Tieling, also left several people hospitalized.
The accident happened at about 10 am Tuesday, completely destroying the factory.
"Houses about 100 metres from the factory were damaged by fires caused by the explosion," the Xinhua News Agency quoted a local witness as saying.
Deputy Director of the State Administration for Safe Production Supervision Wang Xuede headed a team of officials and experts to the scene of the accident, and joined the local public security bureau and supervision department for a further investigation.
"The real cause of the explosion remains unknown," said a local police officer.
Initial investigations indicated that the factory has no fireworks production license.
The blast occurred less than one month before the Spring Festival, which starts on January 22, when many people in China will celebrate the festival by setting off firecrackers, though some big cities like Beijing and Shanghai have banned firecrackers for many years.
China has witnessed increasing numbers of firework-related accidents this year.
Official statistics show that in the first nine months of this year, a total of 98 such accidents happened across the nation, killing 209 people.
This was an increase of 21 per cent and 41.2 per cent respectively compared to the same period last year.

December 30 2003, icWales, Firework attack on drugs critic's home
AN outspoken critic of drug dealers last night told of his horror after thugs let off an industrial firework at his North Wales home.
Sixteen explosions shook the home of Councillor Bernie Attridge, terrifying his young daughters Hannah, two, Nicole, five, and Chelsea, six.
Mr Attridge, of Connah's Quay, said someone was seen running away from his home and jumping into a car.
He believes the incident, which happened at 10.50pm on Sunday evening, could have been a "revenge" attack.
Mr Attridge's wife was working a night shift at Asda in Queensferry and the Connah's Quay town councillor had just gone to bed and was falling asleep when the attack happened.
He said: "We were lucky it did no damage to the house but it frightened me and the kids to death.
"I had gone to bed about 10.20pm - the girls were already in bed. Then I was woken up by what I thought was a bomb going off. It was not the normal firework you buy at the local garden centre.
"This was an industrial type, something called a 16- bomb repeater."
The firework was let off just outside Mr Attridge's wooden front door in Fron Road, Connah's Quay. The explosion was so loud it had most of his neighbours coming out to see what was wrong.
Mr Attridge believes it could easily have set fire to the door and shattered its glass had it been placed differently.
"The explosion was so loud it woke us all up. The whole house shook. Hannah was very upset and crying and she was awake most of the night. She would not settle afterwards.
"I've never had this kind of trouble before but I suppose I am quite a high profile community councillor. Last week I was having a go at drug dealers and users and the need to clean up Connah's Quay.
"This could have been a revenge attack with someone not thinking about what the consequences might have been.
"I called the police in and I have retained the firework in case their forensic people want to look at it."
Mr Attridge complained drug dealers were taking over the streets in Deeside and the situation was getting out of control. He said the area needed cleaning up.
Police confirmed they are investigating the incident.

December 28 2003, Paknews.Com, Five Killed In Rawalpindi Firework Blast
RAWALPINDI, Pakistan: Dec 28 (PNS) - A blast in fireworks killed five people and injured nine in Rawalpindi on Saturday, officials and doctors said.
Doctor Arshad Rehmani, who treated the injured in a local hospital, confirmed death of five people. Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed ruled out any terrorism in the blast and said it was an accident.
Mayor of district Rawalpindi Tariq Kiyani said that the blast occurred in firework, being loaded from a truck. He said four people were arrested for illegally storing the firework in a godown of floor mills in the center of the city.
A floor mill worker, Tanveer Ahmed, who received minor injuries, told reporters that the blast occurred in a truck. The building caught fire while several vehicles damaged. Fire fighters extinguished the blaze within two hours.

December 28 2003, The Sentinel, OUTRAGE AS FIREWORK TRADERS ARE LET OFF
Rogue traders caught illegally selling fireworks to families in Staffordshire will escape prosecution after being let off by council officials, a Sentinel Sunday investigation has revealed.
Trading standards officers have chosen not to begin legal proceedings against people found dealing in explosives at car boot sales and a pub, even though they could have been taken to court. Offenders have instead been given cautions and had stock which was confiscated from them returned.
But MPs and campaigners for families tormented by the anti-social use of firweworks today condemned the failure to prosecute after police said the menace was fuelled by illegal sales.
"This is a cause for concern and there needs to be a clear message going out that not only existing legislation will be enforced, but new laws coming in will be enforced as well," said Stoke-on-Trent North MP Joan Walley.
"It's abundantly clear to me that people feel persecuted by fireworks used inappropriately. I've been in touch with trading standards and police in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent asking if there will be proper enforcement."
Staffordshire County Council trading standards discovered the illegal activity at car boot sales in the Stafford area in October and seized hundreds of pounds worth of explosives.
They also confiscated a haul which was about to be illegally auctioned at a pub in Stone.
The law says anyone who wants to sell fireworks can only do so from a building which meets strict fire safety rules for storage and has been licensed by trading standards or the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Four people involved in the incidents were breaking the law, but were later let off with cautions.

Newcastle borough councillor Andrew Worsey - who has supported families in their call for tighter controls on youths abusing fireworks - said: "This is shocking and the reaction of many residents will be shock too.

"It's not sending a good message to others who might be tempted to also sell fireworks illegally."

Pete Norwinski, the council's head of fraud and special investigations, said: "We seized the fireworks to protect the public from buying illegally. But when the people involved proved to us they had registered premises elsewhere we returned the items to them. They were all cautioned and will not be prosecuted. They could have been prosecuted."

He added: "We took this action because it's probably the first time where people have been selling them in unusual places and the circumstances didn't seem to warrant making an example of them. Three of them already had registered premises and were just trying to find another source of selling them. None of them seemed to be sticking two fingers up to the legislation or doing it out of malice."

Mr Norwinski said groups of up to 30 people in vans who have been meeting to pick up stock from lorries full of imported explosives were the main targets for prosecution.

As Sentinel Sunday revealed in October, officials believe gang members have been storing their stock unsafely and illegally in homes and garages before selling it on to thousands of people.

Staffordshire MEP Michael Cashman is now pressing the European Commission to introduce EU-wide legislation to help control imports.

Tonnes of legal explosives are brought into Staffordshire each year, but he is also concerned about outlawed black market fireworks also making it onto the county's streets.

Police in Stoke-on-Trent say the anti-social use of explosives is made worse by illegal sales. The Government's new Fireworks Act recently became law and will pave the way for a curfew banning people using them late at night.

December 27 2003, Scotsman.Com, Party is no blast for Edinburgh's animals, by Maggie Page
AT midnight on December 31 many Scots will welcome in the New Year with a bang. But away from the pubs, the parties and Edinburgh's world famous street party many animals will begin 2004 with a whimper.

"The most fantastic New Year's fireworks display in the world!" is how Edinburgh's Hogmanay organisers boast of their plans for bringing in the New Year with the Seven Hills fireworks display.

But this translates as a night of fear, panic and terror for thousands of Edinburgh pets and wild animals. First footing is not an option for many Edinburgh pet owners. Animals are frightened of fireworks.

A recent survey by the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals revealed that more than 8000 animals receive veterinary attention because of fireworks each year.

Dogs particularly appear to suffer a great deal of stress because of the loud bangs and rather than becoming desensitised by the ever-increasing number of fireworks, many vets report that symptoms worsen as animals are exposed to more explosions.

The fear and panic that some animals experience because of fireworks is expressed in many different ways. Over the last few months, many pet owners will have been watching their pet cower in the centre of the house, refusing to leave the house or do the toilet.

Some will have their homes damaged as their terrified pet chews through carpets, doors and even walls. And a few will be faced with the heartbreak of losing a pet either through injury after bolting in fear or as the victims of targeted attacks. The SSPCA has seen an increase in the number of fireworks incidents in recent years. First reports start around September and continue beyond New Year and affect dogs, cats, horses, swans and many more animals. The harrowing incidents include:

A boxer puppy which was attacked by youths with fireworks. The little dog received such serious burns that he died a few days later.

A Labrador which bolted from the family garden when a firework was set off. He was so terrified that he ran into the sea. His body was washed up four days later.

A retired racehorse which was fatally injured after it bolted through a barbed wire fence after hearing a firework.

VETS, animal welfare organisations and wildlife enthusiasts have been voicing their concerns for some time over the damage fireworks can inflict on animals. There is particular concern about the full effect such displays have on local wildlife. Many species feed at night and disruption to their food supply during the winter months could even prove fatal.

The Seven Hills fireworks display takes place simultaneously from Corstorphine, Craigmillar, Blackford Hill, Braid Hills, the Castle, Calton Hill and Arthur's Seat. Many of these hills are havens for wildlife, situated in peaceful residential areas. There are badger setts located on at least four of the hills and one - at Corstorphine - is situated directly behind the zoo.

This annual thunderous bombardment may be causing irreparable damage to the city's wildlife, causing stress and disturbing hibernation patterns - it is certainly causing stress and misery to the neighbourhood dogs and their owners!

In previous years, the SSPCA and other animal welfare and wildlife groups have contacted Edinburgh City Council to express their concerns about the Seven Hills display.

A suggestion has been put forward that the Seven Hills display is replaced by one central display and that the ground-shaking fireworks are kept to a minimum. The SSPCA is one organisation still awaiting a response.

On a positive note, a new Fireworks Bill received royal assent in the House of Commons earlier this year.

This will bring about the much-needed regulation on the sale and use of fireworks for the public. Regulations will include a ban on the possession of fireworks by under-18s; tougher penalties for misuse of fireworks; a national curfew banning the use of fireworks during anti-social hours; a noise limit of 120 decibels on fireworks available to the public and a new licensing system for the sale of fireworks to ensure local authorities have the power to refuse and revoke licenses if retailers act inappropriately.

However, these regulations do not affect organised civic displays. Since the millennium, fireworks appear to have become an essential part of every celebration, from weddings and birthdays to state occasions such as the Golden Jubilee.

The SSPCA fears that the increased use of fireworks for civic events is making it increasingly normal and acceptable for others to also use fireworks for all occasions. For pet owners, it is a problem which was once limited to the week surrounding Guy Fawkes' Night and which has now become a year-round concern.

THIS year, firework displays will feature at two official occasions during the festive season in Edinburgh: the Seven Hills display and during the torchlight procession on Monday.

However, there will no doubt be lots of bangs from many private displays in parks and gardens around the city and, unfortunately, there may be situations where fireworks are misused and humans or animals will be injured.

The people of Edinburgh should be proud of the fantastic party the city hosts at New Year. However, there needs to be consideration of the more vulnerable residents of our city.

The organisers of Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebrations need to be aware of the impact that these loud fireworks have on the surrounding neighbourhood.

They should work with animal welfare organisations to find a solution where all Edinburgh residents can enjoy seeing in the New Year.

Instead of seven loud firework displays spread out across the city, we could have one visual display on Edinburgh Castle. At least this way we will all be looking in the same direction.

Maggie Page is parliamentary assistant for the SSPCA.

December 24 2003, Harrogate Today, New crackdown on firework misery
NEW rules cracking down on the misuse of fireworks finally came into force this week.

The regulations are the first part of the 2003 Firework Act to be implemented, and aim to tackle irresponsible use of fireworks.
Passed earlier this year, the Firework Act is intended to cut down on the number of incidents causing misery to residents, and follows years of tireless campaigning by late Harrogate housewife Marjorie Johnson.
Enforced by the police, the new regulations - which were not ready in time for November 5 this year - ban the possession of fireworks by anyone under the age of 18 in public places and members of the public from possessing 'category four' professional fireworks, the most powerful type of firework used in public displays.
Leader of Harrogate Borough Council Coun Mike Gardner welcomed the new legislation, details of which had been long awaited since the Act went through Parliament.
"It is certainly welcome news," he said.
"We are all aware of the nuisance of fireworks, but although many people don't object to organised displays, it is the indiscriminate use of fireworks which can scare both animals and people.
"As far as this aspect of fireworks is concerned, the new legislation is a good move."
Further parts of the new legislation will come into force next year.
This includes curfews on firework use, compulsory training for operators of public firework displays and a stricter licensing system for suppliers of fireworks.
Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Phil Willis hailed the new law as a success for community campaigning and also paid tribute to the work of Mrs Johnson, who died earlier this year.
"This legislation is long overdue but local campaigners will be delighted that this law is now in force," he said.
"The Government was forced to recognise the strength of feeling in the country and finally backed the private members' bill that has led to this new law.
"I also hope that we shall also see this as a lasting tribute to the work of the late Marjorie Johnson. who did so much to highlight the problems caused by the irresponsible use of fireworks."

December 22 2003, Nottingham Evening Post, FIREWORK BAN: NOW IT'S LAW
Under-18s are banned from using or carrying fireworks in streets, parks and other public places from today.
A national curfew banning the use of fireworks late at night
Possession of the most powerful fireworks by members of the public has also been outlawed.
The bans are the first of a series of regulations being drafted by the Government following pressure from MPs and a campaign by the Evening Post.
The measures - part of the new Fireworks Act - aim to cut down firework harassment and ban possession of category four fireworks to all but professional display organisers.

Ministers say they are busy drafting new regulations to implement the rest of the Fireworks Act.

Consumer Minister Gerry Sutcliffe said: "These regulations are the first in a number of measures of our fireworks legislation which will help drive this kind of loutish behaviour off our streets.

"Fireworks can be fun, but these regulations aim to curb any irresponsible behaviour associated.''

The Post has been calling through its Be Safe Not Sorry campaign for a clampdown on fireworks.

Notts MPs welcomed the first steps in implementing the landmark bill.

Broxtowe MP Nick Palmer, who has been lobbying for years to see a crackdown, said: "We're all hoping that as the different stages take effect it will have a marked impact on the misuse of fireworks, so we can get back to enjoying them as a rare festive occasion rather than as a continuous disturbance."

Gedling MP Vernon Coaker said: "It's a welcome step forward, but I think we'll have to keep the law under review because we may have to make it tougher - Such is the level of public disquiet.

"But it's all about enforcement and people feeling that if firework users do something wrong they'll get caught.''

Nottingham North MP Graham Allen said: "Parliament has now done its job after a long campaign by myself, other Notts MPs and the Evening Post.

"The test now is for members of the public to come forward and let the police and council know who's breaking the law. The ball is in the court of those who are being offended by the misuse."

Under the regulations introduced today members of the public are banned from possessing category four professional fireworks - the largest, most powerful type that are used for public displays. Trade Secretary Patricia Hewitt said she will publish draft regulations after Christmas to introduce:

Measures will be in place by July, 2004.

December 18 2003, This is Staffordshire, Pub Owners Fined over stray firework
Two business partners have been fined £500 after a firework struck two children and set their clothes alight during a Bonfire Night display at their pub. The incident at The Plough Inn, on High Street Wolstanton, left children aged six and seven with their clothes in tatters, Newcastle magistrates heard yesterday. One of the children also suffered temporary hearing loss.
The former proprietors of the pub, John Machin, aged 51, and Susan Towers, aged 43, both of Commercial Street, Burslem, admitted breaching health and safety at work regulations. Ex-pub manager Deborah Dawkins, of Sparrows Terrace, Porthill, faces the same allegation but failed to attend the trial.
Dawkins is now expected at Newcastle Magistrates' Court on January 6.
Paul Clisby, prosecuting for Newcastle Borough Council, said employers have a duty to ensure non-employees on their premises are not exposed to risks to their health and safety.  Mr Clisby said in this case there was a clear breach of this duty, which resulted in children being exposed to harm.  The court heard Machin and Towers were in charge of The Plough as part of a business venture at the time of the accident on November 5 last year.
Mr Clisby said the fireworks display was Dawkins' idea, and she had organised the event for Machin and Towers.
He said she got three, untrained customers to supervise and another to let the fireworks off in front of a crowd of people on grassland behind the pub.  A wooden board and several bricks were bought as safety items for the display.  During the night, a firework went off into the crowd and hit the two children, causing severe burns damage to their clothes and leaving one with temporary hearing loss.
Mr Clisby said the fireworks used were bought from China for public display and were unavailable in the shops.
He said neither Machin or Towers read the instructions on the packet, and added: "The vast majority of fireworks require a 25-metre space between the audience and the point at which they are let off. The distance on that night was six metres.  "The fireworks should also have been part-buried, but they were left free-standing."
Rob Hill, defending Machin and Towers, said the fireworks were marked with the British Standard kite and added: "Only one firework went wrong in this display."
Machin and Towers were also ordered to pay £800 costs.

December 16 2003, Western Mail, Pupils' £2m sports bonus
BOMB disposal experts were called to Cardigan Police Station on Sunday night after the public foyer was targeted.  Minor damage was caused when a device, now thought to be a large firework, was posted through the letterbox. Explosives experts were called for safety reasons. The station was evacuated as a precaution. A number of incidents involving fireworks occurred around town that evening.

December 15 2003, BBC NEWS, Firework attack at police station
A firework attack on a police station resulted in a bomb disposal unit being called to the scene.   Minor damage was caused to Cardigan police station after a live firework was put through the building's letter box.
The incident happened at 2020 GMT on Sunday and the station was evacuated but no one was injured.
The road outside the station was closed for forensic examinations to take place and the bomb disposal squad were called to conduct an examination of the scene for safety reasons.
According to a police spokesman the attack follows a number of other incidents where fireworks were set off in and around the town during the early evening.
Police are appealing to anyone who was in the area or who has any information as to who may be responsible to contact them on (01267) 232000 or Crimestoppers on 0800555111.

December 12 2003, icLiverpool, Mum and children escape firework blast
A MOTHER and her three children escaped serious injury after a powerful firework was deliberately pushed through their letterbox.
Carol Tysoe, 52, and her disabled son Lee, 16, Lynsey, 19 and Carl, 21, were at home in Keble Street, in Bootle, when their house was rocked by the huge explosion.  The force of the blast was so strong that it blew out the windows of two cars parked nearby. Five houses were also damaged in the explosion.
Carol's daughter Emma O'Reilly, who lives nearby, said: "It is lucky that my mother wasn't killed.  "Only two minutes before the explosion she was locking the door. If it had been pushed through then she would have been killed. "She had just got into bed when there was a huge explosion, she said there was a loud noise and a flash of light. She thought it was a bomb.  "I can't believe that somebody would hate my family so much that they would do this to them."
Bomb disposal experts, who evacuated the street, discovered the remains of the firework pushed through the door of one of the houses.  A spokeswoman for Merseyside Police said: "The explosion was caused by an industrial firework which was put through a letterbox.  "The blast caused damage to a number of houses and cars in the street.  "Bomb disposal experts were called in and the street was cordoned off as a precautionary measure.
"Nobody was injured and investigations are continuing today into the incident."
The industrial strength fireworks have wreaked havoc on Merseyside over the past few months.
In November a homemade bomb made from a bundle of fireworks damaged eight homes in Steers Croft, in Stockbridge Village.
Earlier this month a family had to be led to safety by firefighters after a firework exploded in a car on their driveway in School Lane, Speke.

December 11 2003, BBC NEWS, House damaged by firework
A house in Barnsley has been badly damaged by a firework in what police described as a "dangerous and irresponsible act".   A brick was used to break a window at the house in Day Street at about 0330 GMT on Wednesday and the firework thrown in.
The explosion caused serious damage to the ground floor of the house, with plaster brought down from the ceilings, the back door blown out and the television destroyed.
A couple and their daughter were asleep upstairs at the time.
Police say they have had reports that someone was seen running away from the property.
Inspector Milo Milinkovic said the firework appeared to have been of the same type recently used to damage phone boxes in the area.  "If anyone had been in the room at the time it could have caused a serious injury," he said.  "This was dangerous and an irresponsible act."

December 11 2003, icLiverpool, Rescue teams in the line of fire
FIREFIGHTERS are being attacked with bricks and spat on by thugs who start fires to lure them on to the streets.
Alarming new statistics reveal that in the first 10 months of this year there were 23% more attacks than in the whole of last year.  Seven firefighters have been injured and many more of the service's 1,164 officers have been threatened and taunted as they tackle fires.  In some stations, ladders at the back of engines have been moved to the roof because of youths trying to ride on the back of them as they drive off.
The number of engines damaged in missile attacks has risen from 14 to 22, meaning that almost all of the region's 26 stations have had to repair one of their engines.
So far, £14,000 of damage has been caused by yobs using missiles, including eggs, stones, bricks, air gun pellets and industrial-sized fireworks……….
A fire spokesman said: "Some of our firefighters have a very commendable fault - they go in and do their jobs without thinking of the dangers. The youths who are causing us problems are as young as 10 and up to about 16.
"This year has seen an unprecedented number of firework attacks in terms not only of the number but also the size of the fireworks used. "We are now regularly seeing youths using industrial sized rockets."
The spokesman added: "There are not any no-go areas as yet but we are having to look at certain areas and do special risk-assessments to make sure the relevant level of appliances are sent to calls.  "It might mean that some areas where we know there have been attacks we would send a larger number of engines than others.
"Without a shadow of a doubt there are deliberate fires which we are called out to, only to be attacked by the very people who have started those fires."
At Kirkby brick attacks are a weekly occurence and younger children of six and seven are now copying older ringleaders.
Station officer Ian Wilkinson said: "I won't go into Wignall park, Southdean, for instance, if there are gangs of youths in there. They think nothing of throwing bricks at you at short range.  "It is hindering us in our duties. In most areas you have to have eyes in the back of your head.  "We have to keep the windows up and you can't walk behind your engine because they will brick you.  "We have to drive away slowly because they jump on the back of the machine. We have actually had to remove ladders from the back because they could hang on to it more easily.  "If it's only a small fire, I try to stay with the engine with the driver because it takes two people to keep guard on it. "Our engines are peppered with dents and we don't repair them because it will just happen again.
"Earlier this month we actually had fireworks launched at the engine. It's out of control; they are even putting flares through letter boxes.
"In September one of our lads was punched in the face by some yobs who were trying to steal his torches.
"The other day we had the petrol tin stolen off the back of the engine. Half an hour later it had been used to set fire to a tree."

December 10 2003, Luton Today, Accident could lead to stadium ban, firework boss fears
A firework firm boss believes the Football League may ban pyrotechnics at matches after an accident in which a woman fan was badly hurt.  Fantastic Fireworks, of Pepperstock, near Luton, has put on displays at more than 50 Premiership matches without mishap.  But the company's managing director, Jon Culverhouse, pointed out that on each occasion the fireworks were ignited either on stadium roofs or outside the ground " never on the pitch.
Mr Culverhouse's firm now specialises in showers of confetti at sports events, rather than fireworks, and took part in the celebrations for England's Rugby World Cup heroes during their coach tour of London on Monday.  "I'm not calling for a ban on firework displays at football matches because I know that when we do them they are safe," said Mr Culverhouse.  "But the upshot of the accident at Wolverhampton is that the Football League is looking at the question of fireworks at games and I would not be surprised if they banned them. Accidents like that are unacceptable."
Denise Butler, 37, suffered a fractured cheekbone and a deep cut to her face when a rocket shot sideways from the pitch and into a stand at Wolverhampton Wanderers' Molineux stadium. Seven other supporters also needed medical treatment.
Mr Culverhouse, who launched Fantastic Fireworks 18 years ago, said he had received emails from all over the world from people who saw the dramatic incident on TV or in newspapers.   He added: "Colleagues and friends from as far away as Australia asked me, 'Who did that " what happened?'. Something as lethal and visual as that made people sit up and take notice. It must have been a frightening experience.  "I can't speak on behalf of the firework company responsible as I don't know what type of firework they were using. But from what I saw it was the firework that malfunctioned and it was nothing to do with the prevailing wind conditions."
For the full story, see the December 10 edition of the Luton News.

December 9 2003, The Oregonian, Attorney loses hand as device explodes
A lawyer whose license has been suspended pending disbarment proceedings is in serious condition
VANCOUVER -- A suspended Clark County attorney facing possible disbarment was recovering from an explosion Saturday that cost him his right hand.
Curtis A. Shelton, 50, was listed in serious condition Monday in Portland's Legacy Emanuel Hospital & Health Center, where he was taken after he detonated a "very large explosive device" and blew off his hand, a Clark County Sheriff's Office report stated.   The device appeared to be a homemade, cardboard item that contained flash powder, Deputy Steve Fox, a bomb technician with the Portland Metro Explosives Disposal Unit, said in another report. The amount of damage to the driveway where the device exploded and "the way (Shelton's) hand was vaporized" made gun powder or smokeless powder unlikely, Fox wrote.
A report written by Deputy Duncan Hoss, who investigated the incident, recommended that the Clark County prosecutor's office review the case to see whether any charges should be filed against Shelton or Edward L. Dunkerly, 51, a Vancouver attorney who was with Shelton at the time of the explosion.
The report asked that Shelton be charged with possession of an explosive device and that Dunkerly be charged with aiding and abetting a crime.  Dunkerly didn't return telephone calls for a comment Monday.
Debris collected at the scene will be tested to determine the device's makeup.
The explosion occurred at 2:20 a.m. Saturday outside the Ridgefield home of William V. Baumgartner, another Clark County defense attorney.  Baumgartner told deputies he thought "it was supposed to be a prank," Hoss' report stated.  Details of how the explosion occurred are scarce. Shelton and Dunkerly declined to answer Hoss' questions Saturday.
Dunkerly told Hoss, however, that Shelton "was just setting the device off" rather than trying to hurt himself, the report stated.
No other explosives were found.
The explosion caused a divot and discoloration in the blacktop. Fragments of Shelton's hand, brown cardboard and paper, a pair of glasses, a lighter, hat and broken bracelet were found nearby.
"I have never seen an injury of this magnitude from a firework," Hoss' report said. "It is my opinion that the item would better be described as a bomb."
John McMahon, supervisor of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms in Portland, said possession of flash powder itself is not a crime. Possessing it becomes illegal, however, when the owner fashions it into a destructive device by putting it into a confined space, such as pipe or cardboard tube, and attaching a fuse or some other means of igniting it, McMahon said.

December 8 2003, BLR, Fireworks Retailer Penalized for Child-Labor Violations
The Department of Labor has assessed fines totaling $101,550 for a Somerset, Texas, fireworks retailer the department says violated the youth-employment provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
The penalties follow an investigation by the department's San Antonio area office of the Wage and Hour Division covering the period June 1999 to January 2002. The department says the investigation, which was limited to San Antonio and the surrounding area, revealed that 73 minors were employed in violation of the FLSA; 11 were under the age of 14.
"The Department of Labor is committed to ensuring that all workers work in safe and healthy workplaces," says Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. "The $101,550 in civil money penalties imposed against this company reflects the highest allowable under law and the Department's special emphasis on protecting young workers from high hazard conditions in the workplace."
Mr. "W" Fireworks operates approximately 250 firework stands throughout Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico, with their corporate offices located just outside San Antonio. The company has filed an exception to the penalties and the Department of Labor has filed an order to have the case heard before an administrative law judge.
The Wage and Hour Division says its investigation found minors working as late as 11 p.m.
"We hope the company will agree to develop and implement a program for training its personnel in employing young workers in accordance with the department's YouthRules! Program," says Tammy McCutchen, administrator of the department's Wage and Hour Division.

December 5 2003, ic Liverpool - Blast couple's lucky escape
A LIVERPOOL couple narrowly escaped serious injury when a nail bomb was thrown at their home. It wrecked 73-year-old James Fessey's car and smashed his windows minutes after he walked in from the front garden.
His wife Grace, 70, was saved from the flying debris by the curtains.  Mr Fessey said he first suspected something was wrong when his neighbours' dog started barking and he heard a loud hissing noise.
He went outside to investigate, found nothing and had just stepped back inside the house in Ranworth Close, Norris Green, when there was a huge explosion.
Retired steelworker Mr Fessey said: "If I had been two minutes earlier I would have been in the garden when it went off and I would be dead."  Mrs Fessey had been sitting in the living room watching television at the time was also unhurt after flying nails and glass hit the curtains.  The retired steelworker said: "We didn't expect this sort of thing in this street. "I really didn't know what was happening. I just heard a bang and thought my house was coming in."
A crater was left in the ground and the front windows of the house next door were broken.
Police forensic teams spent five hours removing nails, some of which punctured the car's tyres.
Mr Fessey said: "We're still really shaken up. Neither of us can sleep."
Police say that the bomb was not the work of professionals and had no connection to a recent series of gangland attacks. A spokeswoman said: "Police believe an improvised explosive device was thrown at a house at around 11.35pm on Wednesday causing its windows to break and superficial damage to the house next door. Noone was injured.  "Officers are speaking to residents in the area to see if they saw anything suspicious at the time of the explosion."  * A firework bomb exploded outside a terrace house with two young children inside, destroying a car parked on the drive.
Police and fire crews were called to School Way, Speke, after reports of a car fire at around 6.40pm yesterday.

December 5 2003, icLiverpool, Firework Yobs cost taxpayer £650,000
COUNCIL tax payers have had to shell out £150,000 to repair phone kiosks and letterboxes damaged by fireworks.  Yobs have damaged or destroyed 38 telephone kiosks, 22 post boxes, 23 houses and 52 cars with explosives this year. The cost of the destruction is more than £150,000 - on top of the £500,000 to fund extra police hours to catch the vandals.
The figures were released by Merseyside Police today to back up calls for tighter laws to govern the sale of fireworks.
On Bonfire Night the government announced a firework crackdown after a campaign led by Merseyside chief constable Norman Bettison.  The possession of fireworks by under-18s is to be banned, and higher penalties are to be imposed on those caught throwing them in the street.
But Mr Bettison wants a total ban on the sale of fireworks to unlicensed people.  Today he said: "Dealing with these incidents has taken its toll in police time and money.  "I have a duty to ensure the safety of members of the public and my officers and for that reason I have compiled a dossier of information for the Home Office.
"We're doing all we can to catch those responsible and take fireworks off the street. "We are making seizures and dealing with the menace on a daily basis, but the waste of police time is criminal. "Why don't we just change the law to deprive young thugs of their availability?"
City councillor Paul Clein, who asked for the figures to be published, added: "The level of damage caused is intolerable and it's getting worse. "It used to be a three-week-long problem, now it is all year round.
"The acts of mindless vandalism are destroying quality of life for thousands of people across Liverpool.
"It's time the government took this problem seriously, nothing short of a total ban is enough."

December 4 2003, ABC . Net, Australia, Uniform law needed for fireworks - Coroner
A Melbourne coroner, Phillip Byrne, has recommended uniform laws in relation to selling fireworks.  He made the recommendation during his finding into the death of 16-year-old Adam Nicholas, who died after a firework blew up in his face last year.
The teenager's friend had bought the device in the ACT, where purchasing fireworks is legal. The coroner recommended the ACT and the Northern Territory ban the sale of fireworks to the public. He also recommended Victoria police and Workcover formally work together to prosecute rogue elements in the fireworks industry.

December 4 2003, Scunthorpe Telegraph,  No option of inaction over fireworks
It Could cost almost £400,000 a week to enforce, but the Government yesterday insisted doing nothing about the abuse of fireworks was not an option.
As residents throughout North Lincolnshire prepare for a New Year filled with firework displays, the Government has revealed the potential cost of enforcing the widely supported Fireworks Act - around £364,000 a week at the height of the fireworks' season. The cost was revealed as the Government tries to pave the way for implementing parts of the new law on December 22, with ministers arguing it was a price worth paying.
It was not 'acceptable' to do nothing, consumer minister Gerry Sutcliffe said, adding: "It is clear the existing legislation which covers the use of fireworks is inadequate to deal with the current problems of nuisance and criminal behaviour."
The Fireworks Act is due to be implemented in two stages - with the anti-social behaviour aspects coming into force before Christmas and the licensing and sale restrictions coming into force in time for Bonfire Night 2004.
Today, however, it was revealed the anti-social parts of the Act could cost around £364,000 a week to enforce at the height of the fireworks' season, based on police estimates for firework nuisance calls this year alone.
But, as Mr Sutcliffe stressed in a Commons statement, to do nothing 'is not an acceptable option'.  "This (Act) will allow the police to deal adequately with misuse - extending and complementing current drives by the Home Office to tackle anti-social behaviour and overcome enforcement difficulties presented by the (current legislation) Explosives Act 1875," he added.
It was a comment echoed by Barton's MP, Shona McIsaac, who helped steer the Act through Parliament as chairman of the cross-party Commons group on fireworks.  She said: "Everyone knows there's misuse associated with fireworks, and people are fed up with the anti-social behaviour which results from that.  "The Government promised to bring forward as many regulations in this Act as was possible before the end of the year, and it's encouraging they are getting them into place as promised.  "When you see what happened at Wolverhampton Wanderers at the weekend, you see what can happen. We are talking about explosives here."
The Fireworks Act received Royal Assent in September but the Government had to go out to consultation before being allowed to implement any of the measures in the legislation.
They have promised, however, to enforce nearly all the provisions approved in the law, including plans to introduce a curfew on use, possibly between 11pm and 7am, ensuring display organisers are properly trained, tackling illegal imports and introducing a tough licensing system for retailers.
Measures to give police the power to issue £80 fixed penalty fines to yobs caught throwing fireworks in public, banning under-18s from possessing fireworks in public and prohibiting the sale of loud fireworks, such as airbombs, are expected to come into force by December 22.

December 3 2003, Nottingham Evening Post, FAN BACKS BAN ON FIREWORKS
A Football fan hit in the face by a display rocket has backed the Post's Be Safe Not Sorry fireworks campaign.
Denise Butler, 38, spoke out after she was hit by a firework that shot into the crowd during an official Premiership pre-match display.  Mrs Butler could be scarred for life after the rocket misfired as Wolverhampton Wanderers took to the field to face Newcastle United.
She was at the Wolves' Molineux stadium with her 11-year-old son Luke when the accident happened on Saturday.  Speaking to the Post about our Be Safe Not Sorry campaign from her Telford home, Mrs Butler said: "I think all fireworks should be banned.  "People should realise that it is easy for something like this to happen and that's why I think fireworks should be banned.  "I agree with the Post in calling for an outright ban. I don't think serious accident like this will stop until they are banned.  "The thought of going anywhere near fireworks again just terrifies me.  "Lying there in hospital, I didn't sleep because I was seeing this flash and then this blood."

Mrs Butler's call goes further than the Post's campaign.
We demanded a ban on firework use by members of the public - but say licensed displays should be permitted.
Mrs Butler was one of eight injured when the firework unexpectedly shot sideways instead of upwards.
But she said: "I've been very lucky. It could have been my eye or my son."  She suffered a large laceration to her cheek, which needed stitches.
Wolves' chief executive Jez Moxey said the club would not hold pre-match firework displays in future.
The licensed display was run by Midlands-based Jubilee Fireworks.
Chris Pearce, the firm's managing director, said the cause of the accident would not be fully established until next week, following an investigation.

Our campaign
The Post launched its Be Safe Not Sorry campaign two years ago.
We called for tougher regulation of firework sales to the public.
The Fireworks Act was drawn up following a Private Members' Bill submitted to the House of Commons last year.
Most of the legislation contained in the Bill will come into force from early 2004 - but some laws will be introduced by Christmas. The Department of Trade and Industry has proposed three measures it wants to fast track so they can be introduced by the festive season:
A ban on the use of fireworks before 7am and after 11pm, except for major festivals
Under-18s stopped from possessing fireworks
The all-out ban of powerful air bombs.

December 3 2003, The Star, English FA to consider firework ban
LONDON: The Football Association (FA) are to examine whether to ban pre-match fireworks displays after a near tragedy before an English Premiership game at the weekend when a device shot into the crowd and hit a female fan in the face.
The woman, who was sitting behind the Wolverhampton dugout, suffered a fractured cheek bone and seven people required medical treatment, before Saturday's Premiership match against Newcastle.
The FA said they are awaiting the report of the crowd control assessor at Molineux, and would be examining whether to ban displays.
"The FA will be communicating with the Football Licensing Authority and the Premier League to look at the issue of whether or not it's right to carry on with these displays," the FA said in a statement.
"We will look at the situation and come to a collective opinion as to whether the practice should be continued or not."
Wolves chief executive Jez Moxey has already stated his club will no longer use fireworks at their ground.

December 2 2003, BBC News, Evacuation after firework explosion.
Homes in north Wales were evacuated on Monday after a firework explosion sent shards of glass flying through the air.   An army bomb squad was called to the area after the blast destroyed the glass panelling at a house in the Howard Road area of Llandudno at around 1415 GMT.
One woman was taken out through a back window of the property, and police said it was a miracle that no-one was injured.
They said the remnants of a commercially-available firework had been discovered in the flat, and that they were treating it as a criminal act.
Police, firefighters and ambulance crews rushed to the scene and the area was cordoned off for about an hour as bomb disposal experts investigated the cause of the blast.
Speaking from the scene, North Wales Police Inspector Meirion Casey said: "The consequences of what could have happened did not bear thinking about.  "We don't know at this stage if it was a prank, or if the house was deliberately targeted, but we are treating it as a criminal act."
Forensic and CID officers were in attendance to gather evidence.   
Next-door neighbours Linda and Mike Clark arrived home soon after the explosion to find it had shattered the glass of their front door.   "There were police cars everywhere and everybody is in shock," Mr Clark said.
"We are dumbfounded by the whole thing."
Police said they needed to know how the firework got into the property and are appealing for witnesses.
The flat is close to the town's police station and the John Bright comprehensive school.
Pupils at the school were in lessons when they heard the explosion but no evacuation was necessary.
Police are treating it as an isolated incident.
They are appealing for anyone with information to contact them on 0845 607 1001 or 0845 607 1002.

December 2 2003, icNorth Wales, Firework attack rocks flats
AN Army bomb squad was called to a North Wales town yesterday after an explosion just yards from a school.
Shattered glass flew through the air as the blast, at 2.15pm, destroyed the front door of flats on Howard Road, Llandudno.
Firefighters rescued a woman from the middle flat. Police said it was lucky no one was hurt.  The area was cordoned off and nearby houses were evacuated.
It was initially feared the blast was a gas explosion, but investigators from Transco ruled that out and the bomb disposal unit was called.
They found the remains of a commercial firework in the porch of the flats.
Inspector Meirion Casey said: "This just goes to show how dangerous it can be to let off a firework in a confined space.  "It is a very serious incident. Windows have been smashed and the window in the door has been blown in.
"Glass was flying around which is potentially very very dangerous. If anyone had been passing at the time it could have been devastating."
Insp Casey said no motive had been established and appealed for witnesses to come forward.  "We need anyone who has been in the area and seen anything suspicious to get in touch with us at Llandudno police station," he said.
Firefighters pitched a ladder up to the middle of the three flats to rescue the stranded woman.
Llandudno fire station sub-officer John Morgan said: "When we arrived a woman was still upstairs in the first-floor flat. She was middle-aged and was very frightened and shaking.  "We treated it as a gas explosion and buildings were evacuated in the area. We called Transco and they isolated the supply of gas either side."
The police then took over the investigation and the bomb squad was called in.
Neighbour Alma Boyle, 79, was taken to Llandudno police station for safety. "I heard a bang and the next thing I knew was police cars and firemen and ambulances everywhere," she said.  "I was taken out the back of the house and had to wait for hours while all this was going on. I was really shaken by it."
Linda Davies, 42, receptionist at nearby John Bright School, said: "There was an almighty bang and some of the kids said they could feel the ground shudder."
Mum-of-two Helen Swindley was at work at Oxford House Clinic on nearby Oxford Road. She said: "I heard a massive bang. There was just one but it was really big. "I don't know if it is because of all the terrorist stuff but I was frightened by the explosion."

December 1 2003, BBC News, Football fireworks may face ban
The Football Association is investigating whether to ban pre-match firework displays at football grounds after a woman was injured at a Premiership game.   Wolverhampton Wanderers fan Denise Butler, 38, was released from hospital on Monday after being hit in the face with an exploding firework as she took her seat at the Molineux ground on Saturday.
The firework was let off in the centre circle as part of a regular display before home ties.   But it shot sideways off the pitch and flew into the lower tier of the Billy Wright stand where Mrs Butler, a season ticket holder, was sitting with her 11-year-old son Luke.
Speaking to BBC Midlands Today at her home on Monday, Mrs Butler said: "I saw this flash and a lot of blood and I just remember screaming.  "It could have been my son.   "I was in the family enclosure and it could have been any child there."
Mrs Butler, from Telford in Shropshire, was discharged from Wolverhampton's New Cross Hospital after treatment for severe facial lacerations suffered before the match against Newcastle.
Seven other fans were also treated for injuries.
It appears that a comet star pyrotechnic effect fired horizontally instead of vertically and we cannot be sure why that has happened.
An FA spokesman said: "The FA will be communicating with the Football Licensing Authority and the Premier League to look at the issue of whether or not it's right to carry on with these displays."
Jez Moxey, chief executive of Wolves, has already said that such displays will be banned at the club following the incident.   Mr Moxey visited Mrs Butler on Saturday night and club chairman Sir Jack Hayward has also spoken to her on the telephone.  On the club's official website Mr Moxey said: "The manager Dave Jones and the team also want to pay Denise a visit when she is feeling up to it.
Denise Butler could be permanently scarred  "She is a big Wolves fan, having supported the club for 30 years and told me she would really like to meet the players, especially Paul Ince."
Chris Pearce, managing director of Midlands-based Jubilee Fireworks who have organised the events at Molineux for the last two years, said: "An inquiry is taking place as we speak and our concerns are for the lady who was injured.   "It appears that a comet star pyrotechnic effect fired horizontally instead of vertically and we cannot be sure why that has happened."
Mrs Butler's husband, Martyn, who was not at the match, said he was not angry that the pre-match display had injured his wife.   "It was just an unfortunate accident. It is just one of those things.  "I'm more concerned about the injury to Denise at the moment.  "We don't know whether there is going to be a permanent scar."

December 1 2003, icBirmingham, Fireworks ban is called for
Safety experts have urged sports stadia to consider banning firework displays after eight fans were injured at a Midland football match.  Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club has taken the decision not to stage any more pre-match fireworks following Saturday's accident which left one woman needing facial surgery. The Birmingham-based Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents yesterday welcomed the club's stance and called for other sporting venues to do the same.
Denise Butler was left with a deep cut to her face when a firework shot sideways into the stand at Wolves' Molineux ground shortly before the game against Newcastle United on Saturday.
She had been due to leave Wolverhampton's New Cross Hospital yesterday, but a spokeswoman said doctors had decided she should spend a second night as an inpatient under observation.
Hospital spokeswoman Christine Ransome-Wallis said: "The doctors have decided she should stay in hospital because there is still quite a bit of swelling to her face."
Wolves have launched an inquiry into how the firework, which should have flown vertically into the air, veered side-ways into the Billy Wright stand where Mrs Butler, from Telford, Shropshire, was watching the display with her 11-year-old son Luke. Seven other fans also needed medical treatment.
David Jenkins, product safety officer for RoSPA, said it was not the first time an accident like this had happened with far more serious consequences.
"This is not the first time - an accident like this has happened before. I was at an event in America where a firework tipped over and killed an operative," he said.
Wolves' season ticket holder Mrs Butler, who is in her 30s, had not suffered a fractured cheekbone as initially feared, the hospital confirmed yesterday.
Ms Ransome-Wallis added: "She had quite a bad laceration on her face, so they had to clean it thoroughly and because of the area they were treating, put her under general anaesthetic and stitch it up afterwards."
A member of staff at the ward where Mrs Butler is staying said the patient did not wish to discuss her ordeal.
Investigations into how the incident happened are being carried out by the football club, Wolverhampton City Council and the Health and Safety Executive.
Wolves' chief executive Jez Moxey said the club would not be holding pre-match firework displays in future.

December 1 2003, icLiverpool, Bomb attack part of feud
EIGHT homes were damaged when a home-made bomb was hurled at a bedroom window in Liverpool.
It is believed attackers, in a personal feud, specifically targeted a house in Steers Croft, Stockbridge Village.
The device, made from fireworks, was thrown against a first-floor window, shattering the glass and damaging the outside of seven others.
Police today ruled out any link with a series of bomb explosions across Liverpool in the past two months.
Officers were called to the house at 11.45pm on Saturday.
A police spokesman said: "We do not believe this to be a random attack.  "We believe the house was targeted, but do not think it was linked to explosions in and around Liverpool in previous months.  "There was superficial damage to the windows and doors of several houses, but no-one was injured.   "Officers are trying to determine what caused the damage to the eight houses. We are currently interviewing residents."
Neighbour Geoffrey Lyons said: "The bang really shook the whole street. Everyone immediately came out of their house to see what was going on.  "The blast took out several windows and damaged other properties.  "There have been two other incidents in the past few months at the house. "An elderly woman in her 80s and her son and daughter live there. "In October someone threw another firework at the property."
In recent weeks 31 phone kiosks and eight post boxes across Liverpool have been destroyed by explosive devices.
Last month a car bomb exploded outside the 051 city centre nightclub, and another bomb - the most powerful in Britain since the cease-fire in Northern Ireland - exploded in West Derby.
That bomb, made up of a concoction of petrol and fireworks, exploded in Sandfield Walk on October 18, damaging six houses.
Police are now appealing for anyone with information to call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, or Merseyside CID on 0151-777 4546.
* A car was blown up by a paper explosive firework in Litherland today.  The Renault Clio was almost totally destroyed in the incident in Litherland Park just after 4am.

December 1 2003, Sheffield Today, Firework Blast pub landlady fears for future
THE LANDLADY of a Sheffield pub has considered giving up her job and home after vandals targeted the premises with a heavy duty firework.
Mother-of-two Angela Andrew has been left "petrified" as a result of the malicious attack caused by a device left outside an external door at the Forty Foot Pub, Wordsworth Avenue, Parson Cross.
The force of the explosion blew the tap room door from its hinges and shattered windows and glass lampshades.
Angela, aged 31, said: "Half of me is thinking I'm leaving, and half of me is thinking why let them drive me away? I don't know what to do."
Angela, her partner Wayne Wigfull, and three customers were lucky not to have been injured during the incident at 12.30am on Saturday morning. Angela's daughters, aged ten and five, were upstairs in bed at the time.
She said: "I had just asked a customer to bolt the door shut and two minutes later there was a strange noise, a bang and a flashing light. "My partner went to see what it was and there was a massive explosion. If he had opened that outside door he would have been a goner."
Police are appealing for witnesses to the incident, especially a taxi driver who may have seen what happened. Anyone with information should call police on 0114 220 2020.