BaltimoreSun | Baltimore-area residents may not always agree, but when it comes to the
spate of fireworks popping off all night across town, many have
suddenly found themselves on the same page.
From Poppleton and Carrollton Ridge to Patterson Park, Hampden and
Locust Point, the barrage of crackles, booms and pows has united much of
Baltimore around a common set of concerns, ranging from fears about
accidental fires to frustrations about interrupted sleep.
“It’s mayhem. It’s a lack of understanding about what it means to live
in civil society,” said Janet Miller, who lives near Hollins Market and
has seen fireworks go off until the wee hours of the morning since
Memorial Day weekend. “It’s hard to continue to live here and feel
safe.”
While the run-up to Independence Day usually sparks some amateur
fireworks displays in Baltimore, longtime city residents say this year’s
showings feel different in presentation, tone and timing.
Residents all over the city — and in other major U.S. cities such as
New York, Boston, Los Angeles and San Francisco — have taken to
Facebook, Reddit and other online neighborhood bulletins to vent and
share opinions, with some posts receiving more than 150 replies and
dozens of likes and shares. Parents of young children, military veterans
and local politicians have weighed in.
Pigtown resident Cat Wall has counted 17 nights in a row of audible
fireworks, starting as early as 7 p.m. and continuing as late as 4 a.m.
Her dog, Halas, a 12-year-old chocolate Lab, has taken to hiding in the
basement and refusing outdoor walks when it gets dark, she said.
