LONDON – Police in Britain’s Wiltshire said Sunday that 14 people, including some children, were injured when fireworks malfunctioned at a “bonfire night” event Saturday.
November 5 is marked by bonfires and firework displays across the country to commemorate a failed plot by a group of terrorists, led by Guy Fawkes, to blow the Houses of Parliament in 1605.
Police and emergency crews raced to the Antrobus Hotel in Amesbury where an early bonfire-night event taking place Saturday night.
The hotel said in a statement that a single display box, containing multiple fireworks, had malfunctioned.
The statement added: “Regrettably, despite the safety cordon exceeding the manufacturer’s guidelines, some projectiles ejected towards the crowd line. We are mortified about what has occurred and would like to apologise to all those affected. Please rest assured that a full investigation will take place.”
Eye-witness Lewis Foote, who was at the event with his wife and sons, told local media: ” There was a lot of panic and kids crying, it was quite scary …all we could do was turn our backs and shield our faces.”
Rachael Tomlinson, who was with her daughter, told how she was hit in the face by a firework which landed close to her eye.
“I saw a lady in the toilet whose hat was black where it had been burnt and another lady had to put her hat out because it caught fire; and I saw a little boy with five burns on his face and he was really shaken up,” she said.
South Western Ambulance Service said it treated 14 people at the scene of the incident.
