28 reportedly injured in California fireworks accident, VIDEO
A YouTube video has captured the fireworks accident in Simi Valley, California., which reportedly left at least 28 people injured, four of them seriously.
The wood platform holding live fireworks tipped over, sending the pyrotechnics into a crowd at an annual 4th of July show northwest of Los Angeles, authorities said Friday.
“For some unknown reasons the structure that holds these ordinances collapsed and caused them to be firing into the crowd,” said Simi Valley police Cmdr. Stephanie Shannon.
YouTube user Tim Pietrolungo has captured the entire incident from a high vantage point. The video clearly shows some of the fireworks shooting horizontally and exploding at ground level.
A police investigation is ongoing. “We’re still in the process of sorting out exactly what happened and treating the injured and evacuating them to area hospitals,” said John Parks, the watch commander at the Simi Valley police department.
An estimated 8,000 and 10,000 were in attendance for the show.
Four people were listed in serious condition, but their injuries were not life-threatening. Another 16 were taken to area hospitals with minor to moderate injuries. The remainder were treated at the park where emergency crew, already on hand as a safety precaution, set up a triage area.
Photo: http://abcn.ws/14Wv705 screenshot
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