Four People Injured In Akron Fireworks Accident
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
AKRON - Four people were injured Saturday during the finale of the fireworks display in Akron.
No names were available.
According to Akron Fire Department Chief Joe Day today, the incident occurred during the finale when the multi-shot boxes, known as cakes, were being fired off. The cakes are a smaller part of the finale. One of the cakes' bottoms blew out and the cake fell to its side, shooting shots off in five directions, including into the crowd.
Three of the people transported to Woodlawn Hospital, Rochester, had burns, while the fourth person had flash burns to her eyes, but her eyesight was recovering at the site, Day said. All four - which included a husband and wife and a teenage girl - were treated and released.
In addition, a fireman's vehicle was damaged.
Day said after the incident, all the people remaining at the site were checked for injuries, whether they wanted to be or not. A lot of people already had left before the finale, Day said, which in this case was a good thing. Since the fire department was setting off the display, response time was quick. Also, an Indiana State Trooper provided a lot of help, he said, as did local EMS workers who were at the fireworks to watch but "stepped up" to help after the incident.
Day said, "You read about fireworks accidents every year. This year it happened to us. Luckily, no one was seriously hurt."
The fireworks display originally was scheduled for Friday. Day said this was the first time in 40 years that he knew of that the fireworks had to be rescheduled. The fireworks started close to 9 p.m. and Day said the incident probably occurred around 9:30 p.m.
"The weather didn't cooperate very much this weekend," he said. [[In-content Ad]]
AKRON - Four people were injured Saturday during the finale of the fireworks display in Akron.
No names were available.
According to Akron Fire Department Chief Joe Day today, the incident occurred during the finale when the multi-shot boxes, known as cakes, were being fired off. The cakes are a smaller part of the finale. One of the cakes' bottoms blew out and the cake fell to its side, shooting shots off in five directions, including into the crowd.
Three of the people transported to Woodlawn Hospital, Rochester, had burns, while the fourth person had flash burns to her eyes, but her eyesight was recovering at the site, Day said. All four - which included a husband and wife and a teenage girl - were treated and released.
In addition, a fireman's vehicle was damaged.
Day said after the incident, all the people remaining at the site were checked for injuries, whether they wanted to be or not. A lot of people already had left before the finale, Day said, which in this case was a good thing. Since the fire department was setting off the display, response time was quick. Also, an Indiana State Trooper provided a lot of help, he said, as did local EMS workers who were at the fireworks to watch but "stepped up" to help after the incident.
Day said, "You read about fireworks accidents every year. This year it happened to us. Luckily, no one was seriously hurt."
The fireworks display originally was scheduled for Friday. Day said this was the first time in 40 years that he knew of that the fireworks had to be rescheduled. The fireworks started close to 9 p.m. and Day said the incident probably occurred around 9:30 p.m.
"The weather didn't cooperate very much this weekend," he said. [[In-content Ad]]