Sheffield fireworks: Darnall family's horror as car is hit by firework and goes up in flames

Misbah Mazhar, 38, and Vaseem Mazhar, 47, of Faranden Road, Darnall, were at home when their car was struck at around 11pm on Bonfire Night, Friday, November 5.

Police have said they are investigating, with the fire believed to have been caused by ‘reckless’ use of fireworks and being linked to another car blaze on Staniforth Road.

Mrs Mazhar said: “It’s just disgusting, to be honest. The violence on Bonfire Night just gets worse and worse every year.”

Mrs Mazhar told how she had rung the police at around 8pm that evening after seeing people aiming fireworks at passers-by and even buses driving past.

She added: “We had dinner and I was tidying up in the kitchen and I heard a bang and I presumed it was fireworks on the main road so I thought ‘forget it, leave them to it, what else can I do?’

“So I sat down to watch a bit of TV with the husband. The kids were in bed and the next thing you know, someone’s banging on my door saying ‘your car’s on fire, your car’s on fire!’

“As I came out, the whole front of the bonnet was on fire. I thought it was going to kill someone.”

The couple said their two children, aged 13 and 15, were extremely frightened by the event.

She said: “The kids had just gone to bed and it woke them up obviously, and their bedroom window is just above where the car was parked so they could see everything. Also with them both having autism, and my son having autism and ADHD, it was freaking them out. They keep saying it feels like a nightmare.”

The video of the Mazhars’ car engulfed in flames has received 70,000 views on Facebook and reeled in more than 400 comments so far.

Mrs Mazhar said: “The thing that disgusted me the most is the fact that people just came out on to the main road and were just stood filming it all. Not one person rang the emergency services.

“And more than anything, there was a so-called family friend stood watching with his son, knowing my husband hasn’t worked for two years because of Covid and knowing our situation, and they stood there plastering it on Facebook.

“And the fact that we’re an Asian, Muslim community. What was Islamic about that?”

The family said they have since identified a suspect, whose details have been given to the police.

South Yorkshire Police said: “Police received a report on Friday, November 5, at 11.30pm. It was reported a car was on fire on Faranden Road, Sheffield. The fire is believed to have been caused by reckless use of fireworks. Another car on Staniforth Road was also damaged at the same time, which is believed to be connected.

“An investigation has been launched. Anybody with information should call 101, quoting incident number 1295 of November 5.”