San Diego fireworks show suffers 'premature ignition,' burns entire supply at once
The Coast Guard says five minutes before the scheduled 18-minute Big Bay Boom show, there was a technical slip-up.
Fourth of July fireworks are set off on Lake Winnipesaukee, in Alton Bay, N.H. this week. A fireworks show in San Diego suffered from a technical malfunction Weds., which caused its entire supply of fireworks to be launched at once.
Jim Cole/AP
SAN DIEGO
Before the fireworks show over San Diego Bay was supposed to start, it was over.
The Coast Guard says five minutes before the scheduled 18-minute Big Bay Boom show, there was "premature ignition."
Video of the big, bright fizzle is glowing strong on YouTube.
Coast Guard search-and-rescue controller Rich Dann tells U-T San Diego he's never seen so many fireworks go off at one time. The blast lasted about a minute and was done.
Show producer Garden State Fireworks apologizes to spectators on its website and says all tests and signals worked properly and it is working diligently to figure out what caused the problem.
The fireworks were supposed to be launched from four barges on the water as 50,000 people watched.