Effort to Ban Sale of Fireworks May Be Renewed

For years, a feisty Anaheim City Council member has fought to ban the sale of so-called safe and sane fireworks within the city.

And for years, the vote has been 3 to 2 against Councilwoman Miriam Kaywood’s proposal to ban fireworks from the community where Pyrotronics Corp. grew into the West’s leading Red Devil-brand fireworks distributor.

Kaywood’s proposal may come before the council yet again, following the devastation of an Anaheim apartment complex Thursday by a fire that officials said was caused by a combination of illegal skyrockets and altered “safe and sane” fireworks.

Councilman E. Llewellyn Overholt Jr., who for years has provided the crucial third vote against a fireworks ban, said Thursday he may change his mind.

“This fire graphically demonstrates that something needs to be done. I feel strongly that the time may have come to ban fireworks in the city,” Overholt said Thursday in a telephone interview.

Overholt expressed concern over the fire damage, estimated at $2.2 million, but added that the city was fortunate that no lives were lost.

Councilman Not Changing Mind

Kaywood had revived the subject at a council meeting Tuesday, declaring that she planned to bring up a fireworks ban again, possibly by next Tuesday’s council meeting.

In previous votes, Councilman Ben Bay has usually joined with Kaywood on the losing side. Voting against the ban have been Mayor Donald R. Roth, Irv Pickler and Overholt.

Pickler said Thursday that he is not changing his mind.

“I’m still of the opinion that safe and sound fireworks are not hurting anything,” he said. “I’ve been shooting them off for years.”

Pickler did say, however, that if Kaywood lobbies the other council members successfully and turns the vote around, he would “join the majority.”

Roth could not be reached for comment.

If the vote changes, it would mark the second time in recent history that the council passed a fire-related ordinance following a major tragedy.

In 1982, the council passed an emergency ordinance banning untreated wood roofs on new construction after a firestorm swept through an Anaheim apartment complex and caused $50 million in damage.