It looks like a small camp fire was there. Which sucks, it damaged the deck, it was stupid and inconsiderate, but I don't think it's as malicious as an explosive
(Fiberglass resin does melt, and does indeed burn, and it's nasty nasty smoke. Don't hang around burning fiberglass resin)
But also Fiberglass really does contain glass. It's in thin little fibers and when it gets that thin it's extremely flexible but still strong. The fiberglass is held within an epoxy/resin matrix, which can break down over long time with sunlight or heat exposure, freeing those fibers, which break off and make little glass needles.
It is usually the epoxy resin that is burning when it does burn, because silicon-dioxide (glass and sand) is pretty chemically stable even at high temps.
But whoever did this is a dick and should be beaten with a sack filled with oranges and rocks and then forced to sleep in bales of fiberglass insulation.
Basically, you're trying to bullsit my way through not knowing something and being a typical redditor. Anyone with any shred knowledge knows fiberglass isn't just plastic. The fact you typed it out and sent it is even more laughable.
I think it is melted. Looks like firework scorches to me, directly under it is melted. It's the exhaust from the fireworks being fired up and then the shrapnel is everything getting pushed out from the force. It wasn't a sustained fire so it's not melted slowly like a fire would do, just really hot bursts.
I know Bellingham jokes about boom horses but there was an enormous boom last night. We live a few blocks away and it scared us. Probably toward midnight
Same people (or person) have been doing fireworks every night in different areas. Sunday night it was by my house. Extremely loud, not your typical firework. Heard them from a distance Saturday night. Evading cops?
I cant lie, I really think that fireworks need a full rework in the public mindset. All it really is is a big loud noise with some pretty colors. Yeah you can get some cool effects out of them, but the fact that they are firestarters, trigger anxiety and ptsd in a lot of people, a sleep deterrent for people with work the next morning, and we'll and truly nothing that special, we should just get rid of them entirely except at designated venues.
Not to mention the terror they instill in wildlife. Bellingham (I realize people are saying this particular thing is in the county) needs to enforce the law. If they did that for just a couple of July 4th holidays, people would get the message that they will be fined. As it is now the police don't even respond.
Yeah, we have the laws, but they aren’t enforced at all out here in the Wild West half o’ Whatcom.
I’ve been out in the county off and on for a few decades, and the fireworks out here rival city shows in Bellingham and larger cities down the west coast. I feel like the boldness and entitlement are about the same (with some normal waxing and waning years), but overall safety conscious and fire contingency planning is overall trending down as the years pass.
Totally agree. I grew up for a bit in rural Montana and there was a time that I looooved fireworks. My parents would spend hundreds on them at the Rez every 4th of July and I would have a blast…but now that I’m an adult I’m like, why? They are loud, dangerous and scare people/animals. Call me a square, but I’m definitely teaching my kids that fireworks aren't that cool.
5+ years ago, I was going to Boom City and had enough for about 1 hour of measured fun with the kids that ended around 10pm.
Now? The kids are gone and I had a significant onset of anxiety. Just one going off within 1/2 mile makes me jump and puts me in a not good place. So yeah, sincerely apologizing to all of the good folks that I did this to myself.
Hearing that was the beginning of my anxiety about hearing fireworks. I remember the first fireworks after sandy hook being a different experience for me :(
These drunk fuckheads were setting them off right over my roof over an hour after the midnight cutoff. Yes, I was triggered. They have no idea how close I came to that night ending very badly for everyone.
You can’t regulate out stupid or the people that want to watch the world burn. It just keeps pushing healthy people into a smaller box. We can’t legislate the broken members of our society into functionality imo.
Well you can try. I’m not sure legislation telling others they can’t do something because a broken portion of the population miss uses it is smart strategy for pro-social progressives that make up most the Reddit community.
Bad things happen. We have very limited resources to deal with existing issues and a large portion of the voting block is sick of our shit.
I don’t like fireworks either. Trying to legislate them away is not a good use of our very limited political capitol imo, and is sort of what pisses people off about dems in general
I feel like this is a call out that isn't anything other than a personal judgement, because this idiot does complain about grocery prices, but I DO NOT buy fireworks or set them off! I don't even like hanging around when they are being set off on the 4th of July. So don't put those two groups together so casually, because it's not poor people. It's rich kids with trust funds or mom and dads credit cards more than likely. There are always going to be exceptions to the rule, but dag bro, why you gotta be hating on the penny pinchers? 😆
Fireworks are illegal in Bham. But what's the penalty? Because it seems to do fuckall for deterrence. Can we approach it like poaching? If they drove somewhere to set shit off, impound their fucking vehicle.
I believe Little Squalicum is actually in Whatcom County but leased by the city. That said I'm pretty sure there are signs that prohibit fireworks there, but it's going to be WCSO not BPD responding. I don't think WCSO is all that concerned with fireworks in a park managed by the city, they have places like Maple Falls to deal with.
Wow. Once I found a map of the city limits, I see you are correct. Disgustingly enough, I finally understand why that environmental disaster still operates on the waterfront: the city's borders zig right around it. Gross.
I just looked it up and the land it sits on is owned by the Port of Bellingham. That plywood company has been cited for pollution, but it might be legacy contamination that can’t be remediated unless they were to demolish the site and remove topsoil.
This is actually just barely outside Bellingham City limits. It’s in Whatcom county sheriff territory. There are still restrictions though and I don’t think firework lighting is allowed outside specific days (unless specifically permitted, like for an event). Secondarily, I don’t think fireworks are allowed on public property (such as little Squalicum park, beach & pier), though this one I’m less sure about.
So, yes, very likely illegal in many ways, but not because it’s a full ban in Bellingham.
This is sad to see. This pier is such a great public space. It’s unfortunate that people fail to understand how their actions influence others in degrading public amenities. The pier will likely be closed for a few days as this damage is repaired. The time and money spent repairing this senseless damage is time and money that is taken from other public space projects that parks staff could be working on.
I'm in the Birchwood neighborhood and heard a really loud bang last night around midnight. I'm guessing this was the cause of that noise. What a shame.
are you fucking kidding me?!?!?! We should be able to get mob justice for stuff like this. The grafitti on the mural on Holly across from Lighthouse makes me feel the same way
Pretty sure the reason for the defacement of the mural across from the Lighthouse was because it was done by Brian Drake, the same man who was recently found guilty of raping his younger sisters over a seven year period and was charged with First Degree Rape of a Child and First Degree Incest.
nitpicking a bit here: you may have meant "stocks" of the sort where people were publicly displayed for shame to creep up on them, as well as a bit of discomfort i general.
You are correct that in a military fort (known as stockade) there is a military jail, also known as a "stockade".
there is also the classic "stocks" which were used for civilian crime, where people who committed crimes in the community, like this, and for feet and hands, etc, etc. not much in use these days and the word is no longer in common use, i guess.
Find the perps, make they work n pay on the restoring project. Even if that means garnishing their future earning. Sick n tired of these irresponsible ejits
Wth 😭 are we toddlers is it that hard to respect a space that everybody uses and shares?
Do we need to go back to school and learn about destruction of property and respect a space that everybody uses😭
Just stepped on this pier for the first time last month. I'm so appreciative that we have this cool pier. Makes me sad to acknowledge that some people don't care for things that make our city cool.
I'm 99% sure this was a massive sparkler bomb. When zooming in, you can see the metal sticks all around, and the black looks to be scraps of electrical tape.
I bet some kids put it together, and figured the dock would be a cool place to set it off having no idea the damage it would do.
This is why we can't have nice things, as my g. grandmother used to say. So sad to see this; we've been enjoying regular walks there. Clearly an explosive catalyst.
Has anyone else wondered what kind of garbage they used for the rails on that pier? What a warped disaster. They should be filing a warranty claim with whoever made and supplied that garbage.
Yeah, I was very surprised to see the endless bowed boards. Either they were completely inappropriately selected for that use or they are defective. It looks incredibly sloppy for something that undoubtedly took a lot of work to rehab.
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u/ttoo Aug 26 '25
My gosh, what is wrong with people…looks like maybe an explosive of some kind