Massachusetts fire officials are warning bars, restaurants, and nightclubs that sparklers and other pyrotechnic devices pose a serious fire risk and are illegal to use without professional licensing, following a deadly New Year’s Eve fire in Switzerland that killed 40 people.
State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine sent a notice Tuesday to businesses across the state reminding them that sparklers — including so-called “cold spark” pyrotechnics often marketed for celebrations — are prohibited unless businesses have the required licensing, certification, and permits, according to a statement from Davine’s office.
“This includes small sparklers that have been sold as novelties or party favors to accompany champagne bottles, which are believed to have caused the New Year’s Eve fire that claimed 40 lives,” Davine said in the statement.
The warning comes after investigators said sparklers likely contributed to a New Year’s Eve fire at Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, that injured more than 100 people in addition to the dozens killed.
The notice was distributed to local licensing authorities by the Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission and shared with restaurant owners statewide by the Massachusetts Restaurant Association, Davine said.
Separately, the state Department of Fire Services issued a notice to a Florida-based company, King of Sparklers LLC, after sparklers it allegedly sold online were recovered by Fall River fire inspectors at a local establishment, the fire marshal’s office said. Officials said shipping such products into the state violates state law and the Massachusetts Comprehensive Fire Code.
Fire officials said sparklers burn at temperatures exceeding 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit and throw off sparks capable of igniting decorations, furnishings, and other flammable materials. Even after they appear extinguished, sparklers can remain hot enough to start fires, officials said.
Davine pointed to a 2022 incident in Dracut, where the improper disposal of illegal sparklers sparked a three-alarm fire that displaced nine residents.
Sparklers are classified as fireworks under state law, meaning their possession, sale, and use require professional licensing and certification, the Department of Fire Services said.
Davine said the tragedy in Switzerland echoed memories of the 2003 Station nightclub fire in West Warwick, R.I., which killed 100 people and injured more than 200 others. The fire prompted sweeping safety reforms in Rhode Island as well as Massachusetts.
The Rhode Island fire was sparked during a concert when a band’s pyrotechnics ignited the sound-proofing foam near the stage, and the flames licked their way up the wall. It took a moment for the crowd to realize what was happening, but within 90 seconds after the fire ignited people stampeded toward the front entrance and were crushed, the Globe reported.
“The tragic fire in Switzerland has a chilling similarity to the Station Nightclub fire in Rhode Island, which led to numerous safety reforms in Massachusetts bars and clubs,” Davine said in the statement Tuesday. “We just want to help these businesses keep their patrons and staff safe.”
Rhode Island State Fire Marshal Tim McLaughlin also recalled the Station nightclub fire in the wake of the Swiss blaze.
“It’s almost eerie to think about it — the similarities between the two,” McLaughlin told WPRI-TV this week. “It was something I never thought I’d see again.”
Nick Stoico can be reached at nick.stoico@globe.com.
