Report explains how firework malfunctioned at Stadium of Fire, injuring 26

PROVO — An "uncontrolled deflagration of whistle composition."

That's the official explanation for what caused a fireworks mishap during the 2024 Stadium of Fire event at LaVell Edwards Stadium that injured more than two dozen people. In layman's terms, a fireworks "cake" — or a pack of 36 tubes that each shoot a projectile into the air — malfunctioned, causing some of the projectiles to shoot into the crowd.

Initially, it was reported that 18 people were injured during the Fourth of July celebration hosted by America's Freedom Festival. But during a press conference on Wednesday to go over the results of the seven-month investigation, Provo Fire Marshal Lynn Schofield said that number was up to 26, including four people who were directly hit by a firework. One of those victims was part of the video production crew at the stadium that night and was hit in the head, he said. Fortunately, it hit the headset she was wearing. The woman initially thought she had been hit by someone throwing a bottle, Schofield said.

Some victims were hit by shrapnel from the projectiles, such as plastic pieces, while others suffered hearing injuries from the decibel level of the explosions. Nine children, including four teenagers were injured, as well as 10 women and seven men, according to the 80-page final report. One woman suffered a possible concussion. Others reported burns on their arms or abdomens.

Dozens of videos recorded by audience members and uploaded on social media showed several misfires going into the crowd in the east stands, two more hitting the south end of the field by the stage and one shot hitting a dancer on the field. Other stray fireworks hit the empty south side stands where the fireworks were launched.

The culprit, Schofield said, was a device known as a 36S Howling Tails to Hammer. Five of them were lined up on each side of the stadium's giant video screen, about four rows from the top of the stadium in empty bleachers. Each device contained a 6x6 row of tubes. The device that malfunctioned was in the group on the west side of the stands and closest to the video screen.

It happened about 8:40 p.m. during a military flyover. After six or seven of the tubes successfully fired their projectiles, there was a deflagration, or an explosion, that caused up to 22 tubes to fire projectiles in a direction they weren't supposed to. Seven did not fire at all.

"The energy released during the deflagration resulted in a catastrophic destruction of this device," the report states. "Because the explosion resulted in the destruction of the cake, subsequent tubes that discharged following this event were not discharged vertically. Some of the remaining tubes discharged horizontally toward the stage and the proximate audience."

Schofield says investigators believe two tubes malfunctioned and caused other tubes to fire into the crowd. Specifically, he says the "whistle composition" — a highly energetic pyrotechnic mixture or, as Schofield described it, basically a rocket motor pressed into a pellet — in the two tubes failed.

The type of fireworks cakes that caused the injuries are no longer available. Schofield says they had been used at Stadium of Fire in the past. But because of this incident, even if they were still available, "You will never see a whistle inside of the stadium as long as I am the fire marshal," he promised.

Moving forward, Schofield is making a series of recommendations, including requiring a more detailed list of the fireworks that will be used at the July 4 show, better labelling on the fireworks being used, a safety briefing with all the production entities involved prior to the Stadium of Fire show, and the creation of a database where fireworks companies can report mishaps and data on such incidents and devices can be collected.

"The very worst outcome of this investigation and this incident is to not change the way the way we do business, to try and prevent this in the future. That's not acceptable," he said.

Thoughts and prayers for those injured at Stadium of Fire tonight! Video my wife took… #besafetonight#letfreedomring#zionsyouthchoir@ksl@KSL5TV@fox13@sltrib@abc4utahpic.twitter.com/urZRTYsoYA

— Ryann Juden (@ryannjuden) July 5, 2024

Fireworks shoot into audience at Stadium of Fire pic.twitter.com/hbf5ZXOgK0

— Bradley Talbot (@the_bradpad) July 5, 2024

Stadium of Fire 🔥 temporarily halted the show as fireworks dispersed into the crowd - see video at the end. A few people seem to be getting medical attention. Crazy. #StadiumOfFirepic.twitter.com/qohUSJ7RLm

— Michael Jensen (@braddahmike) July 5, 2024

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