1 July 2023
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Less than a minute after Rex Harris heard explosions at a Bradley Fair fireworks show Thursday, he says he knew something had went horribly wrong.
“We were probably about four to five rows of chairs back so we were up pretty close, and we heard three loud explosions—not quite sure what they were, we thought they were part of the show at first,” Harris said. “We saw this small fire on the ground and then it just took off.”
“I’ve been going I couldn’t even count the years,” witness Merrie East said. “I thought it was going to be normal just like always.”
East says she was sitting right in front of the bandstand during Thursday night’s show. She was recording on her phone when the fire started.
“I’m noticing in the camera shot, and I’m like, ‘oh wow, there’s a fire’, so then the music just stopped playing because the fire did seem out of control, it was quite scary, really,” East said.
WFD Battalion Chief Jose Ocadiz says while consumer and commercial fireworks were used during Thursday’s show, commercial fireworks were to blame for the fire. Still, he’s urging folks be cautious as many consumer fireworks can be used this holiday weekend per a recent city ordinance.
“This was a professionally scheduled show…and this is just an example of, you know, from professionals to our citizens conducting and enjoying the fireworks season that we’re in right now that anything can happen at anytime,” Chief Ocadiz said.
In a statement to KSN News, A spokesperson for Bradley Fair said the shopping center did work with the WFD on safety protocols ahead of the event, and obtained all city permits required for a display.