As they do each Independence Day weekend, Derek Blodgett and his household gathered at Provo’s LaVell Edwards Stadium Thursday night time to look at fireworks. Attending the annual Stadium of Hearth occasion has grow to be a convention for them, and so they had been significantly excited to see this yr’s headliners: the Jonas Brothers.
The present started with a navy jet flyover round 8:40 p.m. Blodgett took out his cellphone and began recording, anticipating an thrilling opener with some teaser fireworks. The scene shortly turned nightmarish as Blodgett’s cellphone captured three rogue fireworks veering sideways into the group.
One firework landed two rows behind him, injuring a person, Blodgett mentioned. The person’s neck was bleeding, and Blodgett watched as he handed out and slumped into his seat.
“We thought he died,” Blodgett mentioned.
A number of minutes of panic ensued as these in close by rows screamed and known as for paramedics. Blodgett mentioned off-duty docs rendered first help till the paramedics arrived.
“It was one thing straight from a film,” Blodgett recalled.
The errant fireworks launched from the stands behind the stage on the stadium’s south finish. Blodgett was sitting within the center part of the stands on the east facet. Footage exhibits not less than two different firework landed close to the highest of the stadium and on to the grass, the place some dancers had been standing on the fringe of the sphere.
Officers are nonetheless working to find out precisely what went unsuitable Thursday night time, mentioned Provo Metropolis spokesperson Nicole Martin. A minimum of one individual was taken from the scene to the hospital and “a number of” others had been injured. Martin mentioned officers are nonetheless attempting to confirm the variety of folks harm, in addition to what number of mortars had been fired into the group.
Intermountain Well being officers declined to say if, or what number of, sufferers from the occasion had been handled at their services.
The present’s organizer, America’s Freedom Pageant, launched an announcement Thursday night, saying that “security is of the utmost significance to us” and that every one pyrotechnics had been “totally checked earlier than the present, and had been rechecked after [Thursday’s] incident.”
“Our ideas are with those that had been impacted, and we’re following up with them to ensure they’re okay,” the assertion continued.
The group didn’t instantly reply to The Salt Lake Tribune’s follow-up questions Friday morning about what issues, if any, crews discovered when checking the fireworks earlier than and after the occasion.
Provo Hearth and Rescue mentioned in an announcement that they’ve educated for conditions like Thursday’s and had been capable of mobilize quickly to assist the injured. First responders with Provo Hearth and Rescue, Brigham Younger College and Emergency Medical Companies medics responded to the mishap, Provo officers mentioned Friday.
“We by no means need an incident similar to this to occur, however we put together by planning and coordinating with Brigham Younger College in order that if it does, we guarantee a well timed, efficient response,” Lynn Schofield, Provo Metropolis Hearth Marshal, mentioned in an announcement.
Blodgett mentioned in his state of shock Thursday night, it felt prefer it took a very long time for paramedics to reach within the stands, however he estimates it was probably between 5 and 10 minutes.
“Fortunately [the man] solely handed out, and he awakened and ended up strolling down with the paramedics,” Blodgett mentioned.
In line with Blodgett, others close to the place the firework had hit in his part sustained minor cuts, however nothing critical.
Stadium officers additionally made a couple of bulletins acknowledging the state of affairs, directing those that had been injured to move to the workplace, Blodgett mentioned.
Whereas dozens in his part left instantly after the incident, Blodgett and his household stayed, desirous to see the Jonas Brothers carry out — regardless of their newfound nerves.
“When the precise fireworks present began, our complete part was freaked out nonetheless,” he mentioned. “We had been all overlaying our heads with our legs and stuff, or hunched over.”
The occasion was solely barely delayed by the accidents, and The Jonas Brothers nonetheless carried out as deliberate.