Minor fireworks-related fire reported in Mendota

Fireworks are being blamed for a minor fire in Mendota, extinguished before firefighters arrived, on the Fourth of July.

Mendota Fire Chief Dennis Rutishauser said firefighters responded to just one fireworks-related incident at 9 p.m. Friday in the 400 block of First Avenue.

There, children using sparklers discarded them into a plastic garbage can; but the sparklers still were hot and set the plastic trash receptacle on fire.

“The garbage can was up next to a home and then melted the siding,” Rutishauser said. “The family hit it with a garden hose before our arrival.”

There were no injuries. Rutishauser said no tickets were issued – sparklers are legal – though the celebrants were reminded to let sparklers cool completely before discarding them.

No other fireworks-related fires were reported in the Illinois Valley over the holiday weekend.