Simi Valley fireworks show mishap: Multiple injuries

SIMI VALLEY, Calif. (KABC) -- An accident during a Fourth of July fireworks display in Simi Valley injured 28 people Thursday, according to Ventura County fire officials.

The incident occurred at the Rancho Santa Susana Community Park located near East Los Angeles Avenue and Sterns Street around 9:30 p.m.

Police said fireworks accidentally detonated during the show. Witnesses said the fireworks that went up were very low to the ground and the remainder of the display exploded all at once. People were screaming and running for cover as bits and pieces of the fireworks rained down on the people who were in the front.

Ambulance crews rushed to the scene and immediately set up a triage site and began tending to the wounded.

According to officials most of the injuries are minor to moderate. Twenty of the injured people were transported to local hospitals while eight were treated at the scene and released. Patients were taken to Simi Valley Hospital and Los Robles Regional Medical Center.

Officials told ABC News that the platform where the fireworks were being set off from appeared to have collapsed and resulted in the ordinances being aimed towards the crowd as they were being fired off.

Spectators said the ground was shaking and it was a scary situation.

"I thought it was pretty spectacular and then everything just went crazy and everybody started screaming," said Joanne Herrera of West Hills.

The number of injuries may go up because authorities said they were receiving calls from injured people who went home and then called 911.

The event, which was sponsored by the support of the Rancho Simi Recreation and Parks District, was stopped immediately following the mishap.

The field was evacuated. The bomb squad was called to deactivate some unexploded fireworks. Authorities said there is an active police investigation to determine what caused the incident. They said there was no indication of foul play at this time.

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ventura county news, melissa macbride

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