WEBSTER GROVES, Mo. – Eleven people were injured in a fireworks mishap in Webster Groves on the Fourth of July.
At the 13-minute mark of a scheduled 20-minute show for its annual Independence Day Firework show, a mortar shell exploded improperly, which caused the adjacent mortar tube to discharge the next shell in a near horizontal manner towards the crowd, according to the Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Webster Groves.
The horizontal shell traveled towards the safety fencing and exploded which sent fragment and sparks over the fence and into the crowd. Eleven people were treated and released at the scene of the incident.
City officials said the fireworks show for July 6 is canceled. ‘Our primary focus is always the safety and welfare of the individuals that choose to attend our programs and activities. We are committed to a full, complete and transparent review of everything that occurred on July 4. We must determine that every possible safety measure for this venue be reviewed and implemented to assure the safety of our spectators,’ The city said in a statement.
The City of Webster Groves contracted with J&M Displays, Inc. of Yarmouth, Iowa, with local offices in Dittmer, Missouri, for its Independence Day Firework show. The National Fire Protection Association standards call for a safety area of 70 feet per diameter inch of mortar shell. J&M Displays, Inc., was permitted to use up to a three-inch shell, for a 210-foot safety radius. The City of Webster Groves installed safety fencing greater than 340 feet from the launch location, according to a city spokesperson.