Community Corner

Latenight Fireworks Plaguing Salem Neighborhood

One Salem neighborhood has had its fair share of fireworks complaints.

Is it one person with too much time on their hands? Is it a small group of local fireworks enthusiasts?

Whoever is setting off fireworks in what our Google Map has identified as "South Salem" - they seem to be doing it more and more frequently.

It was while combing through reader comments for profanity that I came across an amusing Taker-inspired comment from a Salem Patch reader going by the name of Smith Wesson.

Find out what's happening in Salemwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

He said:

Regarding the fireworks the police keep going to around Cabot, Hancock and Gardner streets the past few weeks: I don't know who you are. I don't know where you got the fireworks. But I will tell you this... what I do have are a very particular set of skills; skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you. If you stop now, that'll be the end of it. I will not look for you, I will not pursue you. But if you don't, I will look for you, I will find you, and I will kill you.

Find out what's happening in Salemwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

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I took a quick spin through our police log posts from the last few weeks, pulled out these fireworks-related noise complaints and added the listed addresses to the interactive map to the right of this post.

Saturday, June 8

  • At 5:58 p.m., police responded to a fireworks complaint on Cabot Street.

Friday, June 7

  • At 9:27 p.m., police responded to a fireworks complaint on Hancock Street.
  • At 10:09 p.m., police responded to a second fireworks complaint on Hancock Street.

Wednesday, June 5

  • At 7:55 p.m., police responded to a fireworks complaint on Hancock Street.

Saturday, May 18

  • At 8:58 p.m., police responded to a fireworks complaint near the intersection of Jefferson Avenue and Lawrence Street.

Saturday, May 11

  • At 9:31 p.m., police responded to a fireworks complaint near the intersection of Cabot and Hancock streets.
  • At 9:50 p.m., police responded to a fireworks complaint near the intersection of Roslyn and Hazel streets.
  • At 10:05 p.m., police responded to a fireworks complaint on Cabot Street. Responding officers reportedly found a large cloud of smoke in the area and debris from fireworks in the middle of the street. Because they were getting numerous calls reporting fireworks in the same location, a police officer stayed in the area but didn't hear any other fireworks go off.

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So, we have to ask - Do you regularly hear fireworks at night in your neck of the woods? Would you consider latenight fireworks a real problem in Salem?

What do you think should be done to prevent them?

Let us know in the comments section below.


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