On July 4, illegal fireworks were aimed at a luxury high-rise in Brooklyn, causing damage to windows and showering sparks on people below, according to residents who spoke with the Post.
While no one was seriously hurt, the fireworks shot up from the street into the Tony Apartments high-rise, and locals in the Bushwick area lamented missing the Macy’s fireworks display. Some felt compelled to evacuate to avoid potential danger from the blasts.
“It sounded like hail hitting the windows,” said resident Eric Dolny.
Dolny described how the fireworks exploded right in front of Cedar Tower, a new 18-story building where one-bedroom apartments go for around $3,500 a month.
“It was definitely uncomfortable,” he said. “They were bursting right outside our windows.”
A 28-year-old software engineer was hosting about a dozen friends in his 12th-floor apartment when the chaos began.
“I felt like I got punched in the chest,” said a woman at the gathering, who preferred to remain anonymous, noting that sparks rained down on those at their Fourth of July celebration.
She added, “Maybe it was my fault. I was trying to take photos of the fireworks from the balcony.”
Witnesses reported that the fireworks started around 9:15 p.m., launched by two men just outside the building, and continued for about half an hour.
Brought to life in 2023, Cedar Tower stands tall among mostly two- and three-story buildings in the neighborhood.
One observer remarked on social media that fireworks hit every floor and that rooftop partygoers had to flee.
Dolny’s girlfriend even noted, “The fireworks might have scratched my window.”
“It was definitely risky and could have led to injuries or even a fire,” she added.
As the roommate of the injured woman expressed, friends were telling her to stop. “We’re done!” they insisted during the ordeal.
This incident occurs amid a decline in complaints about illegal fireworks in New York City, dropping from 3,136 in 2025 to 2,257 this year.
Interestingly, the same Cedar Tower ZIP code saw complaints decrease from 43 in 2025 to 21 this year within the same timeframe.
Contrastingly, citations for illegal fireworks on July 4th increased by 59% citywide, going from 32 in 2025 to 51 in 2026.
The city Department of Buildings informed the Post that they hadn’t received any reports of damage from the fireworks at this location.
Some residents feel that this incident emphasizes the need for stricter enforcement against illegal fireworks.
“A few of my friends were really scared,” said a 54-year-old employee in the beauty industry, urging both the NYPD and the building’s management to look into the situation.
“The fireworks were dangerously close,” she stated. “It was just too much.”
