Firework Safety
Fireworks are a traditional part of enjoying celebrations such as bonfire night or New Year but they are also the cause of hundreds of serious accidents every year.
Your experiences of Halloween and fireworks night
We appreciate that firework misuse and deliberate fire setting are a big worry over the Halloween and bonfire night period.
Southwark Council and the police take your concerns seriously and extra work is carried out every year to reduce the likelihood of firework misuse and deliberate fire setting. We use the full extent of our powers to make sure those who cause damage and nuisance are dealt with.
To further help us to improve our response to firework misuse, we are asking members of the public to complete a quick survey so that we can find out what your experience of Halloween and firework night 2008 was like.
Firework misuse and deliberate fire setting
Halloween and firework night has caused problems for Southwark’s communities in the past.
Southwark Council and Southwark Police take your concerns seriously and extra work is being done to reduce the likelihood of firework misuse and deliberate fire setting. We will use the full extent of our powers to make sure those who cause damage and nuisance are dealt with.
 We will not tolerate:
- criminal damage of our estates and parks
- eggs or missiles being thrown in public
- illegal bonfires in public places such as parks or open land on housing estates
- fireworks being set off in public places or after 11pm
- the sale of fireworks to under 18s.
If you know of anybody letting off fireworks dangerously, damaging your area to build bonfires or selling fireworks to young people, please call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on 020 7525 5777.
The law now prohibits any person under the age of 18 from possessing fireworks in a public place. Those caught damaging property, building illegal bonfires or letting off fireworks dangerously could receive:
- fixed penalty notices and on the spot fines
- criminal prosecution
- Acceptable Behaviour Contracts (ABC’s)
- injunctions.
If you are a council tenant, or tenant of a housing association property, the council or your landlord may take you to court and ask for you to be evicted from your home.
Seasonal safety information
Below is some basic home safety advice that will keep your property safe over the Halloween and bonfire period.
- Do: put a sign up at the front of your house saying “No trick or treaters” if you don’t want people coming to your door over Halloween.
- Do: lock all your doors and windows before you go out. Pay particular attention to the back of your premises – a popular entry point for burglars
- Do: keep your shed and/or garage doors locked. If your garage has a door which goes directly into your house, make sure that is locked too.
- Do: close your curtains and leave a light on in the room (not the hall) when you are out for the evening.
- Do: masking tape your letter box shut if you are worried about fireworks being put through your letter box.
- Do not: leave combustible materials such as paper for recycling or washing outside your home
- Do not: leave door keys in hiding places such as under a door mat. Thieves know all the hiding places.
- Do not: leave a window open a few inches for the cat to get in or out. Burglars find this very useful too.
- Do not: leave ladders around. If you must leave them outside make sure they are padlocked to something secure.
Contact us
If you know of anybody letting off fireworks dangerously, damaging your area to build bonfires or selling fireworks to youths under the age of 18, please:
If you're concerned about a retailer selling illegal fireworks, you can also contact Southwark's licensing unit.
Fireworks legislation information can be found on the  Department of Trade and Industry's Fireworks website.
Yvonne Drake
Arson reduction officer
yvonne.drake@southwark.gov.uk
Great Guildford Business Square
30 Great Guildford Street
Rm 322, 3rd floor
SE1 0HS
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