Firework accidents drop in Beijing during New Year holiday

The number of accidents caused by fireworks during the 2015 Lunar New Year holiday period fell in Beijing this year, local authorities said Friday.

From Feb. 18 to March 5, there were 88 fire-related accidents caused by fireworks, down 8.3 percent from last year. Injuries reported due to fireworks totaled 145, the same as last year, according to statistics released by the municipal government.

No deaths or severe injuries were reported.

Some 196,000 boxes of fireworks were sold in Beijing from Feb. 13 to Feb. 23, down 32 percent year on year.

Beijing deployed 72,000 policemen and organized 259,000 medical staff during the holiday period to prepare for firework-related emergencies.