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Fireworks a bust or someone hurt?

Started by Michael71, July 04, 2009, 10:00:41 PM

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Michael71

July 04, 2009, 10:00:41 PM
So what happened? We live downtown & walked to see the fireworks...we do this every year. Show was short & uneventful, but seemed like show ended on the bridge instead of the air.  Anyone see exactly what happened?
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"Why be part of the 'brain drain' that gets sucked out of Tulsa...The opportunity IS there, you just gotta make it!!"--Eric Marshall

nathanm

#1
July 04, 2009, 10:14:16 PM
Quote from: Michael71 on July 04, 2009, 10:00:41 PM
So what happened? We live downtown & walked to see the fireworks...we do this every year. Show was short & uneventful, but seemed like show ended on the bridge instead of the air.  Anyone see exactly what happened?
It probably had something to do with the lightning moving this way.
"Labor is prior to and independent of capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration" --Abraham Lincoln

tim huntzinger

#2
July 04, 2009, 10:30:28 PM Last Edit: July 04, 2009, 10:33:27 PM by Know Nothing
The whole thing just blew at once at the west end of the bridge.  it was pretty obvious there was an explosion and we packed up right after I stopped shooting, everyone else just sat there.  I go, 'That was an accident.' And folk just sat there like they missed the whole explosion.  Amazing. Oh look, exclusive video:

Gold

#3
July 04, 2009, 10:36:07 PM
They started very early, like 8:45 (official mailer said 9:30 start time).  KJRH.com says a trailer blew up.  Sucks, we deserve a display.  Thankfully, no one is hurt.

forevertulsa89

#5
July 04, 2009, 11:01:43 PM
Really was disappointing, but glad no one got hurt. I wish they would have explained the situation to the people in the parks. We were over at riverwest festival park and I assumed something went wrong, but others were unsure and let me tell you there were some angry people out there who had been sitting for hours to get to see 15 minutes of fireworks and no finale. One of the announcers at the amphitheater acted like nothing went wrong and that, that was it. It was especially embarrassing because all the motorcyclists that were in town came down together at the park and I can only imagine they were disappointed. Even worse however has to be to the citizens who gave so generously to make the show go on this year after many sponsors dropped out due to the economy. I know a group of local lawyers and justices gave $11,000 for the finale, which didn't happen. Although it was an accident I believe the fireworks company needs to give at least half of the money back, especially to those that collected and gave out of there own pockets. If they don't I seriously doubt citizens like these will want to continue to support what has been such a wonderful event every year.

custosnox

#6
July 04, 2009, 11:20:39 PM Last Edit: July 04, 2009, 11:24:28 PM by custosnox
This is why you don't have the fireworks done by the lowest bidder.  We were right on the river watching, and there was a fire burning for a while on the trailer after one of the fireworks went off prematurely just feet above the trailer.  The final explosion sent a lot of the works into the river, and all directions.

edit to add that the reason it started early was to avoid getting rained on.   

GG

#7
July 04, 2009, 11:56:21 PM
Quote from: Know Nothing on July 04, 2009, 10:30:28 PM
The whole thing just blew at once at the west end of the bridge.  it was pretty obvious there was an explosion and we packed up right after I stopped shooting, everyone else just sat there.  I go, 'That was an accident.' And folk just sat there like they missed the whole explosion.  Amazing. Oh look, exclusive video:



You were right on, that was an accident. 
Trust but verify

FOTD

#8
July 05, 2009, 01:02:32 AM
Quote from: Know Nothing on July 04, 2009, 10:30:28 PM
The whole thing just blew at once at the west end of the bridge.  it was pretty obvious there was an explosion and we packed up right after I stopped shooting, everyone else just sat there.  I go, 'That was an accident.' And folk just sat there like they missed the whole explosion.  Amazing. Oh look, exclusive video:


Holy Cow! Great reporting, Knows Something!

Your avatar does not match your voice.

tim huntzinger

#9
July 05, 2009, 08:37:45 AM
Quote from: FOTD on July 05, 2009, 01:02:32 AM
Holy Cow! Great reporting, Knows Something!

Your avatar does not match your voice.

For the record, that was ME saying 'change my diaper.'   Being eye-level with the pavement, and reckoning the range of any of those mortars, it was a safety issue to vacate the area.  Any one of those mortars could have gone skipping right down range and into the crowd.

Conan71

#10
July 05, 2009, 11:08:57 AM
My friend and I arrived at another friend's condo at Liberty Tower about 9:20 only to find out we'd missed everything.  Did any news outlet bother getting the word out it was going to start earlier?  It was still entertaining watching all the various neighborhood fireworks with lightning as a back-drop from the 17th floor.
"It has been said that politics is the second oldest profession. I have learned that it bears a striking resemblance to the first" -Ronald Reagan

Hoss

#11
July 05, 2009, 12:16:08 PM
Quote from: Conan71 on July 05, 2009, 11:08:57 AM
My friend and I arrived at another friend's condo at Liberty Tower about 9:20 only to find out we'd missed everything.  Did any news outlet bother getting the word out it was going to start earlier?  It was still entertaining watching all the various neighborhood fireworks with lightning as a back-drop from the 17th floor.

I obviously need better hooked up friends.  The best I can do altitude-wise is the 4 story garage which my brother has access to just behind the YMCA building downtown.

Steve

#12
July 05, 2009, 09:21:44 PM
Quote from: Conan71 on July 05, 2009, 11:08:57 AM
My friend and I arrived at another friend's condo at Liberty Tower about 9:20 only to find out we'd missed everything.  Did any news outlet bother getting the word out it was going to start earlier?  It was still entertaining watching all the various neighborhood fireworks with lightning as a back-drop from the 17th floor.

From what I understand, the change in start time was a last minute decision to get it done before a possible thunderstorm came through.

Today's TV reports say that River Parks will not pay for the portion of the program that was cancelled, and the pyrotechnics company has been cooperative so far.  So maybe the money can be banked and saved for next year.  I understand how many were disappointed, but sh*t happens.

forevertulsa89

#13
July 05, 2009, 10:00:30 PM
Apparently according to Fox 23 news, Matt Meyer, River Parks Director, has said they will not be using A&M pyrotechnics, the company that put on this years show, next year. Hopefully they will go back to using Western Enterprises that has done the show every other year. They always did a great job.

http://www.fox23.com/news/local/story/Fireworks-Fizzle/0RPByNWUS0-lNdTGNzfAOQ.cspx

patric

#14
July 05, 2009, 11:27:22 PM
Quote from: forevertulsa89 on July 05, 2009, 10:00:30 PM
Apparently according to Fox 23 news, Matt Meyer, River Parks Director, has said they will not be using A&M pyrotechnics, the company that put on this years show, next year. Hopefully they will go back to using Western Enterprises that has done the show every other year. They always did a great job.

http://www.fox23.com/news/local/story/Fireworks-Fizzle/0RPByNWUS0-lNdTGNzfAOQ.cspx

Its got to be a comfort to know the same bidding process is being used to select those who will be rehabilitating our roads and bridges.
"Tulsa will lay off police and firemen before we will cut back on unnecessarily wasteful streetlights."  -- March 18, 2009 TulsaNow Forum
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