Multiple people were left with injuries after malfunctioning fireworks at a Fourth of July celebration in Provo, Utah veered into the crowd and hit members of the audience.
@tylerblair.official Fireworks mishap just now at Stadium of Fire in Provo, Utah. #stadiumoffire #byu #provoutah #4thofjuly ♬ original sound - tylerblair.official
According to authorities, at least six attendees at the opening ceremony of the Stadium of Fire show at Provo’s annual Freedom Festival were sent to hospital as the fireworks, which were set off inside the outdoor arena as multiple jets flew overhead, misfired and went into the crowd. At least one person has serious injuries, although a Freedom Festival spokesperson said that they did not know the severity of anyone else’s injuries or the total number of people struck by the fireworks.
@kaitlyn61935 close call at the stadium of fire, praying for everyone who was hit!! #fireworksgonewrong #stadiumoffire ♬ original sound - kaitlyn
Several videos posted to TikTok show the fireworks misfiring, including one filmed from someone incredibly close to where one of the fireworks entered the crowd; in the video, you can see the firework zoom past the cameraperson and hit someone else sitting nearby.
@unbelievablyfunny We didn’t even realize until we rewatched the video. Hit a couple other people in the Stadium. #StadiumofFire #GodBlessAmerica #BabyYoureAFirework #4thofjuly #America ♬ Firework - Katy Perry
As the videos show, the fireworks hit people sitting all over the stadium, seemingly including people who were standing on the field. After the fireworks misfired, organizers stopped the show for roughly 15 minutes while those who were injured received medical attention. Other attendees were asked to remain in their seats during this time in order to prevent panic and a stampede. The show, which featured the Jonas Brothers, then resumed after the Provo fire marshal gave his approval.
The Freedom Festival spokesperson said that local authorities are investigating the cause of the accident, explaining, “Definitely a firework malfunctioned, but we’re still trying to figure out how that happened. All the fireworks were installed properly before the event, and they were inspected and approved prior to the show by authorities.”
3 Comments