A malfunction brought a Wheaton fireworks extravaganza to a halt.
Daily Herald file photo, 2017
Fireworks lit up the night sky over Wheaton’s Graf Park until a malfunction interrupted the pre-Fourth of July spectacle more than halfway through the show.
Organizers called off the remainder of the fireworks celebration last week as a precaution. The malfunction occurred about 12 minutes into the planned 20-minute show.
“At this time, we do not have plans to reschedule the suspended fireworks show,” park district Executive Director Michael Benard wrote in an update to the Daily Herald.
The park district hired Michigan-based RKM Fireworks Company to put on the show. The operator described the malfunction as an isolated incident, according to Benard.
“They reported to us after their investigation that the malfunction was due to a manufacturer defect of the fireworks shell,” Benard explained. “RKM said that the malfunction caused what is known in the pyrotechnic world as a flower pot effect. A flower pot is caused by a shell bursting in the launch tube at the same instant the lift charge has fired.”
The Wheaton Fire Department was supervising the launch site and reported that personnel from the fireworks company immediately terminated the show once the malfunction occurred.
“A ground fire ensued which resulted in other shells exploding on the ground, outside of the tubes. One shell, still in the tube, went off sending the shot towards the location of the crowd. Thankfully, there were no reported injuries. Fire department personnel assisted the fireworks personnel with confirming all hazards were mitigated,” Benard wrote.
As of Wednesday, the park district, fire department and police have confirmed that they have not received any verified reports of injuries requiring treatment sustained during the July 3 fireworks show, Benard noted. As previously reported, on that evening, one youth was looked at on scene by the fire department, but the youth did not request or receive treatment and left with their family.
“The Wheaton Park District, together with the Police and Fire Departments, develop comprehensive safety plans for its fireworks displays. These plans are developed with professionally licensed and insured vendors and input from public safety to address a variety of contingencies including the emergency which occurred,” Benard wrote. “Staged and on scene fire services were able to render the scene safe shortly after the malfunction. On scene first responders stood ready to provide aid and ambulance transport if necessary.”
The park district traditionally celebrates Independence Day with a week of patriotic festivities, from an American flag display in Seven Gables Park to a Main Street parade.
“Pyrotechnics are beautiful and an integral part of celebrating our nation’s independence. Our community’s safety is our primary concern,” Benard wrote. “While this year’s fireworks did not go as planned, we are grateful there were no reported injuries. Despite the challenges we faced this year, we look forward to carrying on this great community tradition next year and beyond.”