CARBONDALE, Ill. (WJPF) – Firefighters say illegal fireworks were the cause of a weekend house fire in Carbondale.

The home in the 400 block of North Marion Street caught fire around 1:00 am Saturday. No injuries were reported, but the house sustained major damage.

The Carbondale Fire Department released the following guidance after the incident: “Fireworks can be unpredictable and dangerous if not handled and discarded correctly. Even fireworks that appear to be ‘used’ or ‘burnt out’ can retain enough heat to start a fire minutes or even hours later.”

Fireworks that explode when lit, like firecrackers, bottle rockets, sky rockets, roman candles, pin wheels, chasers, buzz bombs, missiles, and any other exploding items that are hand held, are illegal in Illinois.