Sparks fly over indoor fireworks.

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Think about it. You're in a crowded club, surrounded by all kinds of flammable materials, watching sparks sail everywhere as a flashy display of fireworks is set off. It may be great entertainment, but is it also a recipe for disaster?

Sensational light shows and indoor fireworks displays have become almost a requirement for major concerts. The use of proximate pyrotechnics, as they're known in the industry, has filtered down to smaller clubs and venues, sometimes even for private parties.

After a horrific fire in a packed Rhode Island nightclub in February claimed 99 lives and injured scores more, some lawmakers aren't sure setting off fireworks inside a building is such a good idea.

Rhode Island legislators have created a study commission to look into all aspects of fire safety. A bill has been introduced to require sprinklers in any structure where the general public can gather, regardless of the age of the building.

Current law has "grandfathering" provisions that permit businesses to operate under the fire code that was in effect at the time the structure was built.

That was the reason a sprinkler system was not required in the nightclub where the tragic fire occurred.

Ironically, at the time of the fire, Rhode Island was one of the few states that already had a statute in place regarding the use of proximate fireworks. Before any indoor display, the law requires that a permit...