This is the moment a lit firework is thrown into a Dundee shop – forcing staff to flee for their safety as it exploded.
CCTV captured the incident at the Family Shopper convenience store in Whitfield.
Staff at the shop claim thousands of pounds’ worth of damage was caused after the pyrotechnic exploded several times.
The incident happened last Wednesday (October 20) and police have charged two boys, aged 13, and a 12-year-old girl over the incident.
A video taken at the scene shows several youngsters loitering outside the shop on Lothian Crescent before the firework is reportedly thrown inside.
One worker is seen running as the firework starts going off.
Casey Thomson, a sales assistant, was just returning from the store room when it happened.
She said: “The sparks were nearly hitting my colleagues, it was so loud. Those that were in the front of the shop were terrified.
“There was smoke everywhere in the aftermath as the firework exploded and staff were coughing.
“The firework was under the fridge where the bakers’ stuff is kept but you can see from the footage it was moving around.
Shop worker’s ‘bigger explosion’ fears
“Had it stayed under the chiller cabinet I do fear it could have caused a bigger explosion.
“Thankfully the store wasn’t busy at the time and none of the staff suffered any injuries.”
Casey says police were called and arrived “within a matter of minutes”.
She added: “There have been a few incidents were staff have been targeted recently but this is the first time anything of this nature has happened.
The shop is trying to serve the community and they are getting subjected to this type of nonsense
Customer
“It is estimated there could thousands of pounds’ worth of damage, there were also several burn marks on the floor of the store.”
One customer, who did not want to be identified, told The Courier it was “appalling” what the workers had been faced with.
He said: “The shop is trying to serve the community and they are getting subjected to this type of nonsense.
“It’s a busy community shop from 7am until 10pm and it’s appalling that something like this has happened.
“The ramifications of this incident could have been horrendous.”
A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: “One 12-year-old girl and two 13-year-old boys
have been charged in connection with an incident on Lothian Crescent.
“A fourth person has been identified but not yet charged.”
Earlier this week we told how an investigation had been launched into claims a firework had been thrown from a moving car in the Kirkton area of Dundee.
Meanwhile new regulations have come into force this year on the use of fireworks in Scotland.