Fireworks warning signs posted around a dozen schools in Bellevue

WA warning on illegal fireworks use

School may be out for summer, but fireworks mischief on campuses could lead to millions of dollars in damage, if this 4th of July is a repeat of last year.

BELLEVUE, Wash. - The Bellevue School District is reminding families not to bring fireworks onto school property ahead of the Fourth of July holiday.

The district says in the past two years, vandalism has led to millions of dollars in property damage at Phantom Lake Elementary School and Tillicum Middle School.

After a playground at Phantom Lake Elementary School burned down in 2023 due to fireworks-related activity, it was rebuilt, only to burn down again around the 4th of July in 2024.

(FOX 13 Seattle)

The cause of the second incident is still under investigation, but according to the Bellevue School District, the timing has "heightened concern about illegal fireworks and fire hazards on school grounds."

The Bellevue School District is partnering with the Bellevue police and fire departments to promote fire safety by posting signs in multiple languages at a dozen schools "identified as past hotspots for illegal fireworks."

(FOX 13 Seattle)

School sites with heightened watches because of previous incidents include:

1. Cherry Crest Elementary
2. Ardmore Elementary
3. Bennett Elementary
4. Stevenson Elementary
5. Phantom Lake Elementary
6. Tillicum Middle School
7. Bellevue Big Picture School
8. Jing Mei Elementary
9. Somerset Elementary
10. Tyee Middle School
11. Sammamish High School
12. Lake Hills Elementary

The Bellevue Police Department asks all community members who see any suspicious activity to call 911 immediately.

The Washington State Patrol also has this guide to show when to call 911 when it comes to fireworks.

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