Several injured by fireworks shot into a crowd at an Independence Day show at BYU
By Alisha Ebrahimji and Paradise Afshar, CNN
(CNN) — What was supposed to be a night of celebrating America’s independence was paused after stray fireworks dispersed into a crowd of people in Utah, causing multiple injuries.
Several people were injured Thursday evening by rogue fireworks that landed in the stands of onlookers at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah, during the America’s Freedom Festival, CNN affiliate KSTU reported.
LaVell Edwards Stadium is on the campus of Brigham Young University. This year’s event was headlined by the Jonas Brothers, according to the event website.
In social media videos from the event, attendees can be heard cheering as fireworks lit up the sky on both sides of the stadium’s jumbotron. Several other sparks, however, landed in various parts of the field where a team of dancers or cheerleaders were standing and even bounced into the stands – leaving a bit of smoke upon landing.
It was one of many tragedies involving fireworks on the Fourth of July. In Chicago, a 34-year-old man was killed while handling fireworks. In Miami Gardens, Florida, fireworks exploded in a 17-year-old’s face. The teen suffered broken facial bones and brain bleeding, CNN affiliate WPLG reported. At least four other minors were injured from fireworks in both Miami-Dade and Broward counties, the station reported.
Several people from the Utah incident were hospitalized, according to KSTU. Their conditions were not publicly released.
Organizers issued a statement on social media about the incident.
“Safety is of the utmost importance to us. All pyrotechnics at Stadium of Fire are thoroughly checked before the show, and were rechecked after tonight’s incident,” the organizers said.
“Our thoughts are with those who were impacted, and we are following up with them to make sure they are okay.”
CNN’s Amanda Musa contributed to this report.
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