Though this article does not have all the particulars..
http://www.kotv.com/news/?107025
Half of the $11,500 fire works display exploded in an accident around 4pm on the 4th.
Hubby and I were shopping on the other side of town at the time. did not hear a thing but we had trouble getting out of town as the accident was inroute to home..
There was one serious injury of the 3 man team working the display at the time of the accident.. a guy got 2nd degree burns on his legs he was treated and released..
the rest of the fireworks were detonated by a bomb squad.. the fireworks display was cancled/postponed.. no word yet till when or if..

The Zoo animals were a bit rattled over the comotion..
Links to info on the park and zoo.. http://www.independence-kansas.com/Riverside-Park-and-Zoo-502.asp http://www.forpaz.com/home.htm
Inspite of the lack of fire works there still plenty of ppl and lots of stuff to do..

TG no one died or more seriously injured..
Gina *BabyBlue*

Sure glad no one died in that accident. In a city north of us, they have to cancel their 4th of July fireworks this year. Last year, a teenage girl lost a leg when a wayward firework hit her. Turns out that they have not established testing protocol nor resolve how to ensure safety to satisfy city council, so no more fireworks.

I really miss the thrill of detonating your own fireworks. In the Philippines we can start using fireworks, firecrackers from September through February with the peak noise on New Year's Eve. In here, only the pop of a champagne is all the I hear during new year. In the Philippines, dogs, cats, frogs, mice and even the roaches are hiding on new year's eve. Not to say that we have a disproportionate amount of maimed fingers and most anything else, but that doesn't stop us from doing this yearly ritual. As a culture, those risks are acceptable but not everyone will agree. So we have fireworks with whistle bombs, firecrackers, the works every time the city or zone within a city celebrate their special day (fiesta), then we have one on June 12, our independence day, and of course we have one on July 4th, Filipino-American friendship day, and all throughout Christmas season which starts in September and ends in February and the best of them on New Year's eve.

Davis City where I am living, has fireworks only on the 4th of July. Everything must be done with permits. California is a big tinder litter ready to burn with a small spark as early as mid-May until the rains starts pouring heavily in November. So I can understand all the paranoia that we have when it comes to fireworks.

That is sad to hear about the girl..
Here we can buy fireworks.. So me and my family went out to my parents farm and did our own little display.. not much.. but the kids had fun.. my 8 yr old especially likes lighting his own.. but mom won't let him do any thing "BIG" the biggest thing he got to light was a foutain that was about an inch tall.. But he got to chase the parashutes even though he didn't get to light them.. and that was good enough.. Some think I'm rather strict with my kids about fire works.. but I've seen what can happen when parents DON'T..
We get enough rain here most yrs that we have no fire danger before or during the 4th.. though some times by then end of July and in to August it is too dry and is like a tinder box here..
Speaking of.. rain moving in now.. today was 73% humidity and temp 92* F.. NO AIR!! Took evening walk around 8:30 and it was still 86*F.. and very very muggy..
Gina *BabyBlue*