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Mum's terror as firework explodes in house
A MUM was treated by paramedics after a lit firework posted through the letterbox of her Whitby home shot upstairs before exploding.
The 50-year-old was given oxygen by paramedics for shock after the rocket exploded on the landing of her detached house in Chancel Way in the early hours of Saturday.
Whitby Fire Brigade chiefs and police say the incident, which happened at just after 3am, could have had disastrous consequences.
The firework was poked through the letterbox and shot upstairs where it hit the back wall on the landing before letting off a loud bang and exploding, setting off smoke detectors.
It is the second incident in less than a week – on Thursday a blaze which gutted a garage in Back St Hilda's Terrace and sparked an evacuation of nearby houses is also believed to have been started deliberately by a firework.
After the woman, who lives with her daughter, raised the alarm, firefighters from Whitby and Lythe were called to the house as were police officers and an ambulance.
Red watch manager, Pete Schofield said: "She was in fear for her life. Luckily it didn't start a fire."
Speaking after the incident, watch manager Paul Burnett of Whitby Fire Brigade said: "Anybody who puts a firework through a letter box obviously doesn't realise the consequences. We could have been talking about a fatality without a shadow of a doubt.
"I can't stress how dangerous this is. It could have quite easily started a fire in the house.
"The firework was put through the main exit point from the house. That would have been a fire exit.
"It's a horrendous thing to do. The lady of the house was in quite some distress. There was a lot of smoke. I just dread to think what could have happened."
Firefighter Burnett said the perpetrators, when caught, could face a huge fine and the possibility of a criminal record.
"Fireworks at the end of the day are explosives.
"Young people that are messing about with fireworks just don't appreciate if one of those things goes off in their hand they will lose their hand or their fingers. Fireworks have quite a lot of gunpowder in them."
The woman, who was alone in the house at the time, was not taken to hospital.
Slight fire damage was caused to the stairs and hall carpet.
Whitby Police are investigating the incident and say they are keeping an open mind as to who may have been responsible.
Sergeant Steve Pearse of Whitby Police said: "This is a despicable crime which could have had terrible consequences.
"In the 20 years I have been here I don't recall a similar incident."
Anyone with information is asked to call Whitby Police on (0845) 6060247.
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Weather for Whitby
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 16 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: North east
