Fire safety is no joke. In addition to the potential for burns, it can also cause community harm by producing smoke.
A renter in Rochester, New York, hesitantly asked for advice from Reddit users about a neighbor who was illegally burning items on their porch.
"My neighbor in the 19th ward burns stuff in a metal trash can on his front porch, and the smoke stinks up my entire house," the original poster wrote.
"Currently laying in bed shaking because the smell of fire woke me up in a panic. Is this illegal in Rochester — are you allowed to burn things in such close proximity?"
The OP was not overreacting; their personal history gave them every reason to be concerned.
"I'll admit I do have some fire trauma from a former apartment burning down, so I'm a little hypersensitive to smoke smells," they added.
"Sounds like a blatant fire hazard to me," read the top comment.
"Call the fire department," said another.
This situation is a perfect example of how illegal burning is not only a nightmare for air quality but also a seriously dangerous activity.
If the porch were made of wood, for example, it might cause a much bigger fire that could spread to other properties. Even if that's not the case, it is flagrantly disrespectful to residents living in close proximity.
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All the time 😳 New York State deliberately prohibits burning trash under any circumstance. Under the heading "What is prohibited?" on the state website, it clearly reads: "Burning refuse, trash, tires, and other solid wastes. This includes burning trash or other solid wastes in a burn barrel or similar device."
This completely unnecessary activity shows major disregard for neighbors' health, safety, and property, not to mention the damage this does to the neighborhood's air quality. It's even more frustrating since Rochester operates a robust trash and recycling pick-up program.
Burning trash like plastic not only smells terrible, but it can also release carcinogenic chemicals into the air we breathe.
"No open burning in NYS right now — that's the law," summarized one comment. "Next time call the fire department."
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