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Fireworks at Man burn around vehicles after the sparklers fell from the bypass bridge. At least one vehicle was damaged after the ropes holding the fireworks fell on top of the hood of the automobile. There were no injuries.
According to Man Fire Chief Robert Paynter, the grand finale display of a waterfall of sparks did exactly what it was supposed to do, but ropes holding the fireworks fell on top of a vehicle that was parked illegally under the bridge.
“There were cars parked under the bridge and they had ran our roadblocks and wouldn’t stay out of there,” Paynter said. “We told them to stay out of there. The people would not listen to us and this was something we tried this year with the waterfall.”
Paynter said the sparklers that made the waterfall were hung from the bridge by ropes and those ropes burned away and the sparklers then fell on top of vehicles sitting below.
“When they got lit, we tried to keep people away from there and they wouldn’t stay out of our way,” Paynter said. “I knew they were going to fall down because that’s what it’s designed to do. When it fell down, it fell right on top of one vehicle that was not supposed to be parked there.”
The accident happened around 10 p.m. near the end of the fireworks show.
The Man Fire Department responded to the fire, but Paynter said the sparklers burned out on their own.
When asked if the fireworks would be displayed from the same location next year, Paynter answered “Negative.”
“It’s just too much of a hassle and a headache and dangerous to the public,” Paynter said. “We’re not going to do it anymore there. And, if we can’t get cooperation, we’re not going to do fireworks. It’s too dangerous. I’m not going to have somebody hurt or killed.”
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