Traditionally, Chinese set off fireworks to welcome the Lunar New Year and ward off evil spirits. At its height, roughly midnight of New Year's Eve, celebrants rush to the doorstep or roadside to ignite explosives, filling the air with a strong scent of sulfur and thick smoke. But the festivities also cause misery every year, with injuries and fires lit by errant firecrackers. This year was no exception.

On February 3rd, the first day of the Lunar New Year a fire gutted a five-star hotel in Shenyang, capital of northeast China’s Liaoning province. Local officials said there were about 50 people in the hotel at the time and all were evacuated, without any casualties. Police said the fire was triggered by fireworks, which accidentally sparked off the external wall of the buildings.

On the same day, two people in Beijing were killed while setting off shoddy fireworks in the early hours of New Year's Eve. A total of 223 were injured during the traditional fireworks frenzy that lasted from Wednesday evening to Thursday noon. The Beijing Municipal Office said on Wednesday alone, the number of fireworks-related fires in the city was up by 178 percent year-on-year. At Beijing Tongren Hospital, 78 of the 85 patients hurt by fireworks received treatment for eye injuries, and children accounted for one-quarter of those treated.

The tradition of lighting off firecrackers during Chinese New Year has been blamed for the rising number of fire-related accidents across the country during the festive season. Firefighters battled 5,945 fires nationwide during the 32-hour span from the beginning of Wednesday, the last day of the previous lunar year, to 8 a.m. Thursday.

The debate over whether these explosives should be allowed in a modern society has continued for at least two decades. City authorities banned fireworks altogether for 13 years starting in the mid 1990s, but were forced to lift the ban by enthusiasts who held that "banning fireworks uproots traditional culture."

Fireworks definitely add a festive atmosphere, but citizens should enhance safety awareness. Meanwhile, the government should also further strengthen the investigation and prosecution of illegal fireworks products.

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