A luxury high-rise in Brooklyn's Bushwick neighborhood was struck by illegal fireworks on July 4, causing property damage and forcing residents to seek shelter. The incident occurred at the 18-story Cedar Tower, a newly constructed building where one-bedroom apartments rent for approximately $3,500 per month.
According to tenants, the pyrotechnics were launched from the street directly in front of the building shortly before sunset, continuing for about 30 minutes. Residents reported hearing the fireworks hitting the building's windows with the sound of hail and seeing sparks showering onlookers. Some tenants had to abandon a rooftop gathering.
One resident, a 34-year-old software engineer, described the event as "jarring" and noted that fireworks were bursting in front of his window. Another resident, a 28-year-old software engineer, stated she was directly hit in the chest by a burst while hosting friends on her 12th-floor apartment. Sparks also landed on other guests during the party.
Witnesses told The Post that two men were seen launching the fireworks from the street. The building, erected in 2023, stands significantly taller than its surrounding two- and three-story structures. An onlooker noted on social media that fireworks were hitting "every floor of this new building, and there were people on the roof that had to run away."
Tenants expressed concern about the danger, with one noting that the fireworks "might have scratched up our windows" and that the situation "was definitely dangerous and could have hurt people who were out on their balconies or could have potentially caused a fire."
The incident occurred despite a year-over-year decrease in illegal fireworks complaints in New York City. From January 1 to July 4, 2025, the city received 3,136 complaints, compared to 2,257 during the same period in 2026. In the zip code for Cedar Tower, complaints dropped from 43 in 2025 to 21 in 2026. However, summonses issued for illegal fireworks on July 4 increased by 59% citywide, from 32 in 2025 to 51 in 2026.
The city's Department of Buildings has not received any complaints regarding fireworks-related damage at the Cedar Tower site. Residents are calling for increased enforcement efforts, with one tenant stating that the episode should serve as a wake-up call.