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Firefighters and police have warned of disastrous consequences if people keep abusing fireworks in the lead-up to Guy Fawkes this Sunday.
In response, Wellington Central MP Marian Hobbs has prepared a private member's bill which would ban the sale of fireworks to the public and allow community-organised fireworks events only with a council permit.
The Government warned last month that it might ban fireworks sales if they caused too much damage and injury this year.
Firefighters blamed fireworks for a blaze that gutted a second-storey room in a Palmerston North home day-care centre yesterday afternoon.
A woman and four children were evacuated from the house where a home day-care service was operating on the ground floor.
Police said a fire at a North Shore supermarket last night endangered the life of a young child and narrowly missed a fireworks display.
The Fire Service arrived at the Countdown supermarket in the Birkenhead shopping mall just after 9pm to find the mall evacuated and the supermarket filling with smoke.
Birkenhead station officer Grant Mitcheson said surveillance footage showed three youths running through the mall shooting fireworks at each other and later firing them into Countdown from the doorway.
When firefighters arrived there were scorch marks on the linoleum and smoke pouring out of the fireworks stand where sparks had reached the packaging and cardboard.
"Nothing was still on fire when we arrived, but there were large amounts of smoke," Mr Mitcheson said.
"It highlights careless people spoiling it for everyone else."
He said nearly 50 people were in the mall when the skyrocket was let off.
The managing director of Countdown owner Progressive Enterprises, Marty Hamnett, said its stores took the safe selling of fireworks very seriously.
"We in no way condone the stupidity of [lighting fireworks inside]."
He highlighted the growth of short-term stores selling fireworks and questioned how stringently they were using safe selling practices.
Police said an 18-year-old male appeared in the North Shore District Court yesterday charged with intentional damage and trespass and was remanded on bail until December 20.
Hamilton fire chief Roy Breeze said his branch had dealt with several incidents in the past few days.
The worst involved a home-made bomb made from fireworks explosives and petrol. A 15-year-old Norton boy had escaped serious injury as he tried to load a beer bottle stubbie with the explosive cocktail as he was smoking.
The device caught fire and damaged the sleep-out garage he was in.
"He's a very, very lucky boy."
In Whangarei, sparkler bombs have blown up several letter boxes.
At a public meeting on Monday to discuss the problem a resident gave police information which led to three students being arrested.
They are to appear in the Whangarei District Court today.
Whangarei/Kaipara area commander Inspector Paul Dimery said police would not tolerate such behaviour.
Pranksters were "endangering the lives of other people and themselves."
A Palmerston North house was damaged by an accidental blaze caused by fireworks yesterday afternoon.
The Fire Service has attended 550 fires nationwide in the first five days of the fireworks sales period.
A normal five-day period in October would have about 300 fires.
Recent incidents include:
* A day-care centre fire which started from a box of fireworks yesterday;
* A skyrocket allegedly fired into a supermarket last night;
* A teenager mixing fireworks and petrol in a beer bottle;
* Sparkler bombs used to blow up letter boxes.
Calming pets with 'chill' pill
As stocks of animal sedatives run dry, some veterinarians are resorting to human drugs to treat pets spooked by this year's Guy Fawkes displays.
Hawkes Bay veterinarian Roger McKinley said his practice had been "caught short" by demand this year as celebrations had started early.
Because they were running out of acetylpromazine - a drug now off the market - a combination of sedatives and anti-anxiety drugs normally prescribed for humans was being used.
Mr McKinley, of Hastings Vetservices, said human drugs were not the ideal solution, but were perfectly safe when used according to guidelines and over a short space of time.
He had prescribed 12 dogs with the drug over the past week.
"We don't give them without a consultation. They are restricted drugs and we have a duty to make sure they are not abused."
Auckland veterinarian Glenn Fraser said there had been a "mild to moderate" demand for sedatives for pets during the lead-up to Guy Fawkes.
"Demand was heavier last year, but I'm not sure why."
Mr Fraser, of the Glen Eden Veterinary Clinic, said many people were choosing herbal remedies.
"We use different sorts of sedatives such as ativan [a human anti-anxiety drug], which is a valium-like drug."
Pets needed to be given the sedatives two to five hours before the event to be effective.
"It chills them out, normally for about six to eight hours, " Mr Fraser said.
- HAWKES BAY TODAY, STAFF REPORTER
