Fire breaks out at Highlands fireworks stand, no injuries reported

Fireworks burst from inside a burning stand in Highlands on Monday afternoon, turning a routine construction job into a fast-moving fire in the 400 block of North Main Street in east Harris County. No injuries were reported, but the scene raised immediate concern because the stand was still active when the blaze started.

The Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office said its initial investigation points to an accidental fire. Investigators said welders were working on the structure when the fire started, and viewer video showed fireworks going off from inside the stand as flames spread. The question now is whether the site was being handled safely before repair work began and whether the fireworks inside had been stored properly.

That detail matters because fireworks stands sit at the intersection of flame, sparks and combustible material. Harris County requires fireworks stand operators to obtain fire code permits for the Independence Day and New Year’s Day seasons, and the county says the Fire Marshal’s Office automatically inspects fireworks stand projects during those periods. In practice, that means welding, cutting or other hot work near a stand should trigger extra caution, especially if fireworks are already inside the structure.

Texas rules add another layer of protection. The Texas Administrative Code requires retail fireworks stands to meet construction and exit standards, including materials and outward-opening doors. Separate Texas fireworks rules also prohibit selling fireworks in a building where other merchandise or businesses are present. Those rules are meant to keep a small ignition source from becoming a larger fire, especially in temporary retail setups that can fill quickly with heat and smoke.

For Highlands and other parts of Harris County, the May 25 fire is another reminder of how quickly fireworks-related hazards can escalate. ABC13 reported a March incident in northwest Harris County in which a fire spread to a fireworks container and railroad tracks, also without injuries. ABC13 has also reported a previous Highlands house fire blamed on improper disposal of fireworks in a trash can, showing that the risk in this community has not been limited to sale stands.

The immediate red flags are plain enough: welding or torch work near a fireworks stand, fireworks stored where sparks can reach them, blocked exits, or a stand operating without the required fire code permit. In this case, investigators have not said the cause was intentional, only that the fire appears accidental and that storage practices remain under review.