On Monday, the Fort Worth’s Fourth fireworks display was halted after
several grass fires developed along the banks of the Trinity River, the
Fort Worth Fire Department reported.
After consultation
with the pyrotechnic company, a decision was made to suspend the
fireworks show, out of an abundance of caution, due to concerns about
damage to additional tubes used to shoot off the fireworks display.
Tarrant Regional
Water District, the organizers of the fireworks show at Panther Island,
issued this statement: “The fireworks show at Fort Worth’s Fourth was
cut short tonight. We apologize that the show wasn’t able to be
completed. Necessary preparations were taken leading up to the event,
and as safety is our No. 1 priority, the decision was made to cut the
show short at the direction of the Fort Worth Fire Marshal.”
Once the crowds departed the Trinity River area, the pyrotechnic technicians and the Fort Worth Fire Department’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit completed
a review of the tubes. A decision was made to eliminate the remaining
fireworks by discharging them in a controlled environment.
At about midnight,
parts of the fireworks display were discharged to make the area safe.
There was no threat to public safety while carrying out this disposal.
On Tuesday morning,
the FWFD Bomb & Arson Unit in collaboration with the pyrotechnics
company began eliminating the remaining fireworks at Panther Island
Pavilion. This was done in a controlled environment under controlled
circumstances by professionals. There was no timetable given for how
long this process would take.
By midnight on July 4, FWFD had been dispatched to 203 grass fires across the city, which is 126 more than in 2021.