Karama Community Garden shed burned down by firework on Territory Day, 2024

A community group is calling out for help after a wayward firework destroyed their shed. In the same night, fireys doused more than a hundred blazes. Read about this year’s Territory day mishaps.

A shared garden centre’s shed was one of the casualties during Territory Day celebrations on Monday night.

Karama Community Garden committee member Justine Glover said she was “shattered” to see four years of hard work and love destroyed.

Ms Glover said she understood a firework was allegedly intentionally aimed into one of the garden’s hay bales and “exploded”.

”The fireys got there really quickly, that was fantastic and the community was brilliant, they reported it straight away,” she said.

“When they got in the shed, they hosed it all down – the petrol container had just melted but was fortunately still intact because otherwise that could have exploded.”

Karama Community Garden's shed was destroyed after a wayward firework burned it down on Territory Day, 2024.

Ms Glover said the rest of the shed’s contents were destroyed as well as two $500 compost bins outside.

She said the KCG had started a GoFundMe to help the group buy new specialist equipment and would host a working bee on Saturday to clean up the garden.

“We’re going to need utes, we’re going to need people power to get all that stuff to the tip,” Ms Glover said.

Karama Community Garden committee member Justine Glover looks at the wreckage of the group's shed after a wayward firework burned it down on Territory Day, 2024.

Karama Community Garden committee member Justine Glover looks at the wreckage of the group's shed after a wayward firework burned it down on Territory Day, 2024.

“Then it’s just a matter of assessing what are our critical thing that we need?

“We’re going to have to rebuild part of the shed – it’s thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars.”

Ms Glover said with community support, the garden’s utilities could be restored.

“We’re gardeners, we build things, we create magic,” she said.

Anyone can donate to the Karama Community Garden here.

An NT Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said the fire was reported about 9.30pm Monday.

Acting Chief Fire Officer Stephen Sewell said his crew responded to the “hay bale fire”.

“The shed ended up becoming involved because of radiant heat,” Mr Sewell said.

“There were plenty of warnings beforehand... and people were advised to get rid of combustibles and to remove combustibles from nearby structures.”

Police, fireys, ambos reveal firework night damage

Firefighters put out 132 grass fires across the NT during this year’s Territory Day celebrations.

Acting Chief Fire Officer Stephen Sewell said fireys received 166 calls throughout the night, compared to just over 90 calls in the same period last year.

Mr Sewell said an extra 17 staff for the evening meant emergency services had little difficulty keeping on top of the call-outs.

NT Police Acting Assistant Commissioner John Atkin said cops responded to two “notable incidents” throughout the night.

“There was a report received at about 10.30pm from the Dripstone cliffs, a group of youths – potentially up to 20 – launching fireworks at cars and people,” he said.

“At about 7.50pm at Rapid Creek near the basketball courts, (there were) reports of fireworks being launched at cars.

“At the moment, both matters are under investigation and no arrests have been made.”

Despite the incident, Assistant Commissioner Atkin said police believed it had been “an exceptionally good night”.

St John NT Territory Response Manager Craig Garraway said paramedics were called to three firework incidents throughout the night after cracker misfires.

Mr Garraway said a 37-year-old man was treated for groin injuries, and an infant with him was also suffered minor injuries.

He said a 19-year-old woman was treated for burns to her face, neck, and legs, while a six-month-old was treated for facial burns.

Mr Garraway said from paramedics’ perspective, it was a busier Territory Day than usual.

“The significance of the injuries are probably more involved than other years,” he said.

“Normally you only get one real serious one – all three of those were reasonably serious.”

Last year, a man’s arm was severed during a fireworks mishap when he used a hollow steel pipe as a launching pad for fireworks.

Discharging fireworks after Territory Day can result in an $1850 fine.