-- The raw power of fireworks was
on display last week. We saw the beauty, and the horror.
A deadly explosion at a fireworks plant in China's
northern Liaoning province killed at least 36 people Tuesday. One photo from the accident
shows the dirty, bloodied arm of a dead worker lying on the ground at the blast site.
It is hard to reconcile that image with the vibrant
plumes of colour that danced across darkened skies around the world just days later, on
New Year's Eve. But both portray the reality of the modern fireworks industry.
The explosion in Liaoning was one of many that take
place in China every year. It's a barely regulated industry there. Unlicensed
manufacturers often take advantage of the young and the poor. In 2001, dozens of children
were killed when they were forced to make fireworks to raise money for their school.
And making fireworks isn't child's play. It is an
exacting science that combines some highly volatile elements. Luckily most people in the
industry take safety very seriously.
It will take far more than just technology to keep
the men and women who make fireworks safe, however.
Whenever the drive for profit overrides the need for
safety, workers will die.
Here's hoping a sense of compassion and
responsibility overwhelms all firework manufacturers in the new year.
