PROVO, Utah (ABC4) — Several injuries were reported at the Stadium of Fire event in Provo after fireworks reportedly launched into the crowd on Thursday night.
According to initial reports from officials, six people were taken to the hospital with injuries after the incident.
READ NEXT: Did you know? These were the most common fireworks-related injuries in 2023
Officials with the Provo Police Department told ABC4.com that multiple people were injured and several people had been taken to the hospital after the incident. Later reports clarified that six people were taken to the hospital, but officials did not immediately disclose the number of injured people.
The Stadium of Fire event — an annual Independence Day celebration at Brigham Young University’s LaVell Edwards Stadium — was delayed after several fireworks went into the crowd during the flag ceremony at the beginning of the event, officials said.
Emory Cook, a spokesperson for the Freedom Festival, issued the following statement to ABC4.com:
Safety is of the upmost importance to us. All pyrotechnics are thoroughly checked before the show, and were rechecked after the incident. Our thoughts are with those who are impacted by the incident and we are following up with them to make sure they are okay.”
Statement on fireworks launching into the crowd
After the incident, viewers also witnessed a small fire in the stands where the fireworks were launched from, and the fire was later extinguished.
Viewers at the event told ABC4.com that the show was delayed for about 10 to 15 minutes as medical personnel and other officials responded to the scene. The show resumed just before 9 p.m.
There is no further information at this time.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
Source Agencies
