The cause of the accident is under investigation, but officials and residents blame illegal fireworks.

The problem, he said, is the influx of illegal fireworks.

Like others who were setting off illegal fireworks and were interviewed, he would not give his last name.

The use of illegal fireworks was not universal, however.

But he added that he did not believe more people were buying illegal fireworks.

Fire officials said that with arrests for and seizures of illegal fireworks on the rise this year, the problem remained under control.

He said illegal fireworks could be heard across his section of Brooklyn through the weekend.

Police confiscated about $3.5 million worth of illegal fireworks and arrested more than 500 people - five times the number of last year.

This week, it featured a report from Sacramento about illegal fireworks.

The new policy called for anyone caught with illegal fireworks to be arrested, rather than simply given a summons as in the past.