ALLEGAN, Mich. — A firework at Allegan’s Independence Day fireworks show on Monday night unintentionally landed in a crowd of people, according to city officials.
The fireworks show was the conclusion of the city’s annual July 3 Jubilee celebration.
According to the Allegan Fire District, a firework went into a crowd during the show.
The incident happened near the old iron bridge in the spectator area by the gazebo.
Allegan officials say during the event, a firework cake from its proximate show unintentionally landed in a crowd.
The city says a handful of people were treated at the scene for minor injuries, with one person transported to Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital for further evaluation.
In a video of the incident shared with FOX 17 by Skyler Veldhuis, you can hear a child yelling for help just after the firework goes into the crowd.
The city of Allegan says they contract with Wolverine Fireworks Display, INC. for the annual July 3 Jubilee celebration.
The city says they utilize pontoon boats in the Kalamazoo River for the main show and finale that launch south of M-89, and the proximate show which launches approximately 90 feet from the pedestrian boardwalk.
Allegan officials say proximate fireworks are commonly used in theme park displays, concerts and local festivals, and fall under the National Fire Protection Association 1126 Standards.
The city says it partners with Wolverine Fireworks Display, INC. to put on three firework shows a year, and the Allegan Fire District is present to respond to emergencies.
According to online records, Wolverine Fireworks Display, INC. was issued a safety citation in 2021 by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Wolverine Fireworks Display, INC. provided a statement to FOX 17 about the incident in Allegan, stating: “We are aware of the events that have unfolded yesterday at the Allegan display on July 3rd. We are deeply concerned with the events that occurred last night and hope everyone who was involved is okay! Our company is currently doing an internal investigation and talking with crew leaders, law enforcement, etc. to figure out the details.”
FOX 17 spoke to some witnesses who were at the fireworks, including one man who said an unexploded firework landed between his toddler's legs, but it was thrown away from her in time.
Another witness told FOX 17 she attended with her three children, including a three-week-old baby, and was forced to run to safety with them. She also says that two of her family members had minor burns.
She adds that her 3-year-old was already iffy about fireworks and that this has ruined the experience for him.
Melissa Knuckles, a mother of two who attended the fireworks show in Allegan Monday night, described the scene after a firework landed in the crowd to FOX 17.
“People immediately started asking, ‘Are you OK?’” Knuckles said. “And people that were burned, people were getting ice out of their coolers, putting ice on burns.”
Knuckles said her kids were petrified.
The Allegan Fire District says that the incident at the show is currently under investigation.
A video of the incident can be watched below:
Read the city of Allegan's full statement on the incident:
Fireworks Statement by WXMI on Scribd
