There is night bigger for fireworks than on the Fourth of July, but over two dozen spectators were injured last night at a showing of fireworks in Simi Valley, California.
Over 10,000 audience members showed up for the Simi Valley Park firework show last night and were in for a surprise, but not when it came to the blasts in the sky.
28 people were injured and several others fled from a Simi Valley Park when an explosion of fireworks shot off along the ground 800 feet away from there marks just before the show. Investigations by police after Thursday night’s incident revealed that the cause of the bursts may have been a prematurely detonated firework, creating a domino effect while knocking down a nearby row, according to The Associated Press.
After the fireworks shot into the crowd, people began to exit in an orderly fashion as guided by police and a bomb squad deactivated the rest of the unlit fireworks.
"For some unknown reasons the structure that holds these ordinances collapsed and caused them to be firing into the crowd," said Simi Valley police Commander Stephanie Shannon. The Simi Valley Police Department has repeatedly reported that there has been no evidence discovered to suggest foul play.
The crowd reacted with terror, screaming and running from the smoke, as debris flew at them in the dark.
One witness, James Wilhite said, “That one row, all of the fireworks went off. They were actually aiming at us,” according to NBC News.
Of the 28 victims, their ages ranged from 8 to 78 years old. 20 of these people were transported by ambulance to local hospitals with four facing severe, but not life-threatening wounds, according to Sargent Tom Meyer, one of the officers on scene Friday morning.
The fireworks company responsible for the mishap, Bay Fireworks, released a statement today apologizing for the injuries, and discussing plans for a thorough investigation, with results to be public announced. The company has not provided any information about prior mishaps, as they have put on shows for Legoland, NASA, the Republican National Convention, and Walt Disney World. As the investigation continues, the company will release information as they learn continue to investigate what went wrong.
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