With the Fourth of July just around the corner, there are new warnings about the dangers of illegal fireworks as usage is on the rise across the Hudson Valley.

The dangers of illegal fireworks is nowhere more evident than in Yonkers where several families were left homeless after a fire burned down an apartment building.

Fire officials say the three-story building on Stanley Avenue is a total loss. It’s burned out, boarded up, and will likely have to be torn down.

Massive flames ripped through it late Saturday night, leaving six families homeless, and two dozen firefighters injured. It took more than 100 firefighters to battle the four-alarm blaze.

Authorities believe illegal fireworks may have ignited garbage in the backyard. Some residents told fire officials that kids had been setting off fireworks in the area before the fire. “Really scary, big flames. It's terrible what happened; it's due to fireworks. It didn't end up to be a lot of fun," says neighbor Javier Velez.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a warning about the dangers of illegal fireworks. The agency says in 2019, roughly 10,000 fireworks-related injuries were treated inside emergency departments. Over 75% of the injuries happened from June through July, and more than half of those injuries are burns to the hands and fingers.