The malfunction at last year’s Vienna Fourth of July celebration showed the dangers inherent in the use of fireworks and led to changes in the way some local communities approach the holiday.

A failure within one of the boxes of fireworks used in the Vienna event injured 11 spectators, putting seven of them in the hospital.

Similar problems occurred at surrounding events with boxes from Schaefer Pyrotechnics, though there were no other injuries.

This year, Vienna elected to hold a laser light show rather than a fireworks display. Two victims are suing the town, Fairfax and the fireworks company for millions of dollars over last year’s incident.

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Vienna spokeswoman Marie Kisner said the town investigated moving the fireworks show to another venue, but couldn’t find one large enough to accommodate crowds safely, and went with the laser show instead.

“As far as we know, we’re the only laser light show in the area,” she said. The show will incorporate lasers shot into the sky to simulate fireworks, and lights on a big screen interspersed with both patriotic and town imagery.

Spectators at the Fairfax celebration will have to stand twice as far away as they did last year in order to witness the festivities.

One injury from fireworks has already been reported this year — a 9-year-old Sterling boy was hospitalized Wednesday after suffering burns over 45 percent of his upper body and hands when fireworks ignited his shirt.

In late May, D.C. Councilman Jim Graham introduced a bill on behalf of Mayor Adrian Fenty that would have banned the sale of fireworks in the District. The legislation, dubbed the “anti-fun bill” by Ward 2 Councilman Jack Evans, was solidly defeated 11-2 in June.

Bad publicity from safety incidents aside, the U.S. fireworks industry has faced an even bigger blow this year — a shortage of fireworks and pyrotechnic devices due to port closures in China following a series of warehouse explosions. According to the American Pyrotechnics Association, between 10 percent and 15 percent of fireworks expected from China will not reach the U.S. in time for celebrations.

“We’ve been fortunate that the industry’s really pulled together to be able to make this July 4 happen,” said Julie Heckman, executive director of the APA, adding that Labor Day celebrations still face shortages.

melissa.frederick@dcexaminer.com