US2 min(s) read
Published 10:46 05 Jul 2021 GMT
A gigantic firework explosion has caused chaos in Ocean City, Maryland.
Per CNN, a truck carrying a large supply of Fourth of July fireworks unexpectedly exploded on Sunday, July 4, causing mass panic.
The Starfire Corporation brand fireworks were intended to be detonated in a display scheduled for 9:00 PM that evening.
However, earlier that morning, Ocean City first responders were dispatched to a vehicle fire at Dorchester Street by the beach. Firefighters arrived on the scene shortly thereafter to find that no vehicle was ablaze.
Yet they quickly learned that a large supply of explosives had somehow ignited, setting off a gigantic chain reaction.
As a result of this, the Downtown Fireworks show was abruptly canceled and the boardwalk closed while Ocean City Fire Marshal conducted safety inspections at both firework locations.
A number of videos of the dramatic coastal explosion have since merged on social media, showing loud bangs and large plumes of smoke which can be seen from a great distance away.
Commenting on the incident in an official statement posted on Facebook, Ocean City Fire Chief Richie Bowers stated: "Our Fire Marshals are on the scene and will investigate the cause of the unintentional discharge.
"Prior to the fireworks being offloaded from the vehicle, Fire Marshals secure a safe zone around the fireworks and put other safety protocols in place. It is this very zone and safety protocols that kept anyone else from being injured."
A spokesperson added that a number of employees of the fireworks company had received minor injuries as a result of the incident, and had refused transport to the hospital by Ocean City Paramedics.
Luckily, however, no beach or boardwalk patrons were injured.
In a later Facebook update, another spokesperson for the local fire department wrote: "At this time, areas of the Boardwalk have also been closed to pedestrian traffic until a thorough safety inspection has been completed.
"Due to an abundance of caution, all firework shows in Ocean City have been canceled."
Meanwhile, CNN reports that a spokesperson for the fireworks company told them: "Starfire Corporation feels terrible about what happened.
"We are grateful to the Ocean City Fire Department and all the other agencies that helped today."
