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The Chinese New Year has been greeted by blasts of fireworks in downtown Shenzhen despite an 11-year ban within the special economic zone.

In places like the Sea World Plaza and open spaces behind Houhai Road in Nanshan District, fireworks were seen and heard every few minutes from 8 p.m. until midnight almost every day during the Chinese New Year celebration period.

However, concern has been raised because of the danger of fireworks causing fires, or injuries and disturbing people's sleep. A total of 43 fires caused by fireworks were reported from last Tuesday to Monday. A boy, 12, had the left side of his face burned while shooting off fireworks in Shajing of Bao'an District. Many people also complained that fireworks awakened or frightened their children.

The city's urban management department had confiscated dozens of tons of fireworks during the holidays. Police from Zhaoshang Police Station went to the Sea World Plaza at 11:30 p.m. Monday to stop a massive fireworks display.

"It's too much. Shenzhen is supposed to have forbidden fireworks," said a policeman surnamed Ye.

Ye said they went to the Sea World Plaza to confiscate fireworks every day from New Year's Eve. "Too many people were doing it," he said.

Urban management officers said they would tighten the crackdown around the Lantern Festival, calling on residents to report people illegally setting off fireworks that has been a traditional way of celebrating the Chinese New Year for hundreds of years.

But it has been banned in many cities since the early 1990s. In Shenzhen, China Folk Cultural Villages and Xiaomeisha have been approved as special places for fireworks, but many people complained they were too few.

"The fireworks are beautiful, and very Chinese, but it's too noisy, and seems to be out control these days," said an American who identified himself only as Mark at a bar at the Sea World Plaza.

In Beijing, firecracker booms rocked the urban area during the holidays, challenging the city's 12-year-old ban. Many residents have called for the ban to be lifted.

The restrictions have been removed in 105 cities, including Shanghai.

Editor: Catherine