Find out how many citations Long Beach police officers issued for illegal fireworks

Long Beach police officers issued 63 citations for fireworks-related violations from June 25 through the Fourth of July holiday, according to numbers released Thursday by the Long Beach Police Department.

Fireworks are illegal in Long Beach, although the colorful explosions and percussive bangs of illegal skyrockets and other fireworks continued well into the Independence Day night in the city.

In some cases, lighting illegal fireworks led to severe consequences beyond citations, including a fireworks-related accident in Central Long Beach that resulted in a 17-year-old boy losing his right hand.

Long Beach firefighters also responded to four fires on the Monday holiday that may have been started by fireworks, causing about $400,000 in property damage.

On July 3 and 4, Long Beach police dispatchers received 444 calls reporting fireworks from people who provided enough information to send out a police officer, according to data from police spokeswoman Nancy Pratt.

Dispatchers received another 522 calls from people who could not say exactly where revelers were lighting up illegal pyrotechnics. In cases without enough information to dispatch a patrol officer to a specific location, Pratt said in an email that the information was broadcast over police radios to keep officers informed.

Long Beach’s Arson Investigation Unit also seized about 500 pounds of fireworks from July 1 through 4.