Iowa Banned Fireworks For Almost 80 Years After This One Incident

There's been a lot of growth in Iowa as far as fireworks are concerned.

Earlier this year, Governor Reynolds signed a new law that puts restrictions on local municipalities as to how much they can limit fireworks.

The new law opens up fireworks (and lessens restrictions on citizens using them) for July 3, July 4, and Dec. 31.

The Deets: New Iowa Bill Fizzles Out Local Fireworks Laws For USA's Birthday

Before this, it's only been legal for Iowans to buy fireworks for 6 years. For about 80 years, fireworks were illegal in Iowa after one incident.

The 79-year-old Ban

Picture it: the setting is Spencer, Iowa, 92 Junes ago. It's 97 degrees, an unusually hot and dry streak.

You're at Bjornstad's Drugstore. You see a little boy take an interest in the fireworks display in the window. All of a sudden, a sparkler drops into the fireworks display (a 40-feet-long table) and a huge fire is sparked.

The speculation is that a young boy was playing with a sparkler (likely lit for him by a drugstore clerk) and that he either accidentally or mischievously dropped it.

According to Notes On Iowa, after all of that did happen about 80 businesses in Spencer were destroyed (about 2.5 blocks, remember it was really dry then), causing nearly $2 million in damage, and leading to Iowa lawmakers to put a ban on fireworks in 1938.

It was terrible timing too, as 1931 marked America's 165th birthday.

Fireworks Came Back

It wasn't until May 2017 that the state of Iowa legalized the sale and private use of fireworks, lifting the state ban.

Fast forward to now, the state has taken a total 180° on their stance with fireworks. Next year, America turns 250.

This wasn't the only fireworks-related issue in Iowa history. A weird one (not a fire, thankfully) happened in Coralville in 2013.

But Why?: This Is One Of Iowa’s Biggest Firework Show Fails

The moral of the story here is: don't underestimate sparklers. They're more powerful than you probably think.