PORTLAND – Portland firefighter John Beatty took a few seconds too long to light an M-80 during a demonstration on the dangers of fireworks, and inadvertently became a victim himself.

Firefighters had drilled a hole in a watermelon Tuesday, with the intent of dropping in the firecracker and letting it explode.

But the short 1-inch fuse of the M-80 burned down in seconds and exploded before Beatty had a chance to run to safety. The blast set off nearby car alarms and was still ringing in Beatty’s ears 20 minutes later, making it hard for him to hear.

“I can’t imagine if a young child was ready to light it inside the house and then tried to throw it outside. They’d never make it,” he said.

With the Fourth of July holiday weekend just a few days away, fire officials are warning the public to be vigilant about safety.

Most injuries from fireworks occur around the holiday, including the weeks before and after, Beatty said.

Fireworks are illegal in Maine, but that hasn’t stopped injuries from occurring. Last Tuesday, a 10-year-old Portland boy received second- and third-degree burns from firecrackers, Beatty said.

In 2002 about 8,800 people nationwide were injured severely enough by fireworks to visit hospital emergency rooms, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Over half the injuries were burns, most of them involving the hands, eyes and head. About half of the victims were under 15 years old.

Maine doesn’t gather statewide statistics, said Joseph Thomas, assistant state fire marshal.

To prevent injuries, Thomas encourages families to take advantage of municipal demonstrations.

“If they want to have activities normally associated with the Fourth of July, we strongly encourage people to go out to a site professionally presented, especially in a family outing,” he said.

In Maine’s woods, forest fires are the main concern over the holiday weekend, said forest service spokesman Jim Downie.

Permits are required for all fires, he said. Once permission is obtained, campers may start fires only at designated sites, most of which are layered with gravel. Fires should be avoided near piles of brush or trash, he said.

Also, the hot, dry weather in the past two weeks is adding to the danger of fires due to lightning strikes, he said.