Disaster in Spain: Fireworks shell hits crowd, 27 injured
A massive fireworks show in Altea, Spain, turned into a nightmare when a shell deviated from its trajectory and struck the crowd on the beach. The event, billed as the largest in its history, utilized over 1,600 kg of gunpowder. 27 people were injured, with 11 hospitalized for burns.
A spectacular show turned into a disaster scene: at least 27 people were injured last night (between Saturday and Sunday) during a fireworks display in the Alicante province of Spain, when a shell deviated from its path and struck the crowd directly, as reported by the Spanish website El País.
The incident occurred during the final segments of the "Castell de l’Olla" show. This is one of the most famous fireworks displays in the region, attracting approximately 50,000 visitors annually to the beaches of Altea, near Benidorm. Many spectators also watch from boats anchored near the shore.
The show, which lasts between 15 and 20 minutes, spans a width of about half a kilometer and reaches a height of nearly 150 meters. In 1999, it received the Gold Award for Tourism from the Costa Blanca Tourism Board, and in 2007 it was declared a tourist festival of the Valencian Community. The fireworks are launched from floating platforms in the open sea. This year's 40th anniversary edition was defined as the largest in the event's history, with organizers announcing the use of 1,600 kilograms of gunpowder.
Footage uploaded to social media shows the moment a shell appeared to go off course, followed by a massive explosion and smoke as the firework detonated on the beach amidst the crowd, triggering panic.
According to representatives of the organizing brotherhood and the Medical Emergency and Information Center (CICU) of the Valencian Community, 27 people sustained injuries of varying severity. 14 of the injured were initially evacuated to the private "Imed" hospital, which manages the event's medical system. Subsequently, 11 patients were transferred to the burn unit at the "Doctor Balmis" hospital in Alicante.
Additionally, public medical teams evacuated three more victims from the Altea health center: a 55-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman suffering from burns were transferred to the "Marina Baixa" hospital in Villajoyosa, while a 19-year-old man with bruises was taken to the "Imed" hospital. The remaining victims received treatment on-site for minor injuries.
