Police department in Texas detonates 9 tons of seized fireworks for disposal

Texas, United States – Midland Police Department (MPD)’s bomb squad recently assisted the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) with the disposal of approximately 9 tons of seized fireworks over the course of three and a half days in Glasscock County. Odessa, Lubbock, and Amarillo’s bomb squads were also there to assist.

Answering questions that came in the comments of the video, the police department said that the fireworks were seized by ATF and not MPD.

The fireworks were seizures of already adjudicated cases ready for disposal from various regional offices, said ATF Senior Special Agent John Morrison. He said the bureau safely detonates accrued contraband fireworks a few times a year.

They added that the disposal of fireworks was very informative for the police department’s bomb techs who are charged with handling explosives. Many bomb technicians have been harmed in the past trying to dispose of pyrotechnics because of variables in their compositions including flash powder, said Morrison, and that having many bomb squads on hand spreads experience in safely disposing of the pyrotechnics.

Also addressing why the disposal of fireworks was conducted during daylight, the police department said because it was not meant to be a fireworks show. The fireworks also could not be donated for other purposes as the destruction of the fireworks was ordered by the courts.