Wayward fireworks injure 10 at Salt Lake City holiday celebration

Wayward fireworks injure 10 at Utah celebration

SALT LAKE CITY — Authorities are trying to determine what caused a malfunction that sent fireworks shooting into a crowd of spectators during a holiday celebration in Salt Lake City.

Salt Lake City Fire Department spokesman Scott Freitag says at least 10 people were injured during the Pioneer Day fireworks display on Saturday night south of downtown.

Freitag says the injuries were mostly minor burns and bruises. He says some people were hurt in the rush to get out of the way when the charges went horizontally instead of up in the air. Two people were taken to local hospitals.

Investigators say the accident started when one of the fireworks charges exploded before it was shot out of a tube. The tube was connected to three others, which were knocked off the fence they were attached to.