Fans at a Richmond Flying Squirrels minor league baseball game fled their seats Thursday evening when a post-game fireworks display malfunctioned, sending fireworks and smoke toward the stands. The incident occurred at CarMax Park in Richmond, Virginia.
Eyewitnesses described a scene of terror as what they initially believed to be a new type of ground firework turned into a dangerous situation. "Once we saw it hit the bullpen and pop up into the stands, we realized some of the mortars must have fallen over," said attendee Alyssa Durden, who was watching with her children. "Our kids were understandably scared. Thankfully, no one was hurt."
The Richmond Flying Squirrels, an affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, stated that they are working with Pyro Shows, the fireworks company, and the Richmond Fire Marshal's Office to investigate the cause of the malfunction. As a precautionary measure, future post-game fireworks shows will be conducted offsite at The Diamond for the remainder of the season.
Pyro Shows issued an apology for the incident, confirming that their technicians immediately terminated the show upon detecting the malfunction. The company emphasized its commitment to safety and stated that it is working with officials to determine the root cause and implement corrective actions. "Safety has been the cornerstone of our organization for over 50 years," Pyro Shows said in a statement. "We will determine the root cause of this incident and make the appropriate corrections to ensure this does not happen again."
The team lost to the Hartford Yard Goats 3-1 before the fireworks display took place.
