Last year in Bnei Brak and environs, 70 children were hurt while burning the remaining leaven (hametz) from their homes. On Friday morning, when the hametz is burned in a fire before Passover begins that evening, an effort is being made to prevent such accidents there and in other locations around the country.
Among the injured children that United Hatzalah of the Dan Region treated last year was a 10-year-old boy who was hurt when burning cardboard hit his face. A group of kindergarten children were injured when an inflammable spray can was “accidentally” thrown into the bonfire and exploded.
Maybe I am a bit late, but in our town of Passaic, the town arranged that in the main park in town, there will be a Chometz burning on Erev Pesach. The fire dept. sets up a few small dumpsters in which they light a fire, and then anyone who wants can come and throw in their Chometz. There is a fire truck and a couple of firemen standing by if something gets out of hand. The rule is no plastic -- there are regular dumpsters nearby where you can throw that away -- only chometz, paper and wood. (Many also burn their lulavim.) I doubt they would allow anyone to throw in a canister or anything like that.
ReplyDeleteEveryone does it in a controlled, responsible, safe way, the children have an event to see, and everything is kept safe.
Why others don't copy this, I don't know.