Ocean City July 4 fireworks cancelled as fireworks explode on the beach earlier in the day (Video)
(Image credit: Ocean City Fire Department)
To the dismay of thousands of holiday revelers, the ever popular and much anticipated July Fourth Fireworks Show scheduled for Downtown Ocean City, Maryland, had to be cancelled unexpectedly after an unintentional discharge of fireworks occurred and fireworks exploded on the beach early in the day on July 4 at the site of the proposed fireworks show. The unintentional discharge closed portions of the beach as well as the boardwalk while firefighters conducted safety inspections. Early reports indicated that the truck containing the fireworks exploded.
The fireworks began yesterday when the Ocean City Fire Department was alerted about a vehicle fire at Dorchester Street and the beach. Â First responders arrived to find that no vehicle was on fire; but, there was an unintentional discharge of fireworks that occurred while the fireworks were being set up on the beach for the resort town’s July 4 fireworks show scheduled for later in the evening.Â
During the unintentional discharge, employees of the fireworks company received minor injuries but refused transport to the hospital by Ocean City Paramedics. No beach or boardwalk patrons were injured.
“Our Fire Marshals are on the scene and will investigate the cause of the unintentional discharge,” said Ocean City Fire Chief Richie Bowers.Â
“Prior to the fireworks being off loaded 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,” he concluded.Â
Soon after the firefighters arrived on the scene, the O.C. Fire Department announced that the cause of the fireworks discharge was still unknown. They set up a safety perimeter around the fireworks site that they said would remain in place until their investigation into the discharge was completed, which could take several days.
Sections of the busy and popular O.C. boardwalk were also closed to pedestrian traffic until a thorough safety inspection has been completed.Â
Due to an abundance of caution, all firework shows in Ocean City have been canceled. Updates will be provided as they become available. ~ Ocean City Fire Department
For more on the July 4 fireworks explosion that occurred on the Ocean City beach in Maryland, see the video accompanying this article.
(Source: Ocean City Fire Department)
Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today / Follow Richard on Facebook and Twitter
