Kansas Homeowner Says House Went Up in Flames After Roman Candle Shot Up to Her Roof

Among the most popular fireworks on the Fourth of July are Roman candles, which shoot exploding shells into the sky. They are meant to be put on the ground to launch, but some people are misusing them by firing them at each other in so-called "Roman Candle Wars."

A report by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission lists Roman candles among the most dangerous fireworks. They were responsible for 300 injuries last year.

Social media is filled with videos of people firing Roman candles at each other, which can lead to disastrous consequences.

In a demonstration organized by the Madison, Connecticut Fire Department, a Roman candle was fired at a roof. A spark ignited the leaves and other debris that were on it. The roof was engulfed in flames minutes later.

"This is an example of what happens when you use a Roman candle inappropriately," Fire Marshal Tim Lunn says. "You can start a fire, you could burn a whole house down."

That is what happened to Kandi Wakefield of Wichita, Kansas.

"The kids were fighting with the Roman candles just shooting them at each other and one shot up to my roof," Kandie says. "That's how it set my house on fire."

Kandi escaped but the home where she lived for 20 years was destroyed. Her house was recently rebuilt with the help of Habitat for Humanity.

Lunn tells Inside Edition the safest way to light a Roman candle.

"The correct way and the safe way to light off a Roman candle would be to have a bucket of sand, place it in the bucket of sand, light the fuse, and get away as quickly as possible," Lunn says.

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