Shortly after the Twin City Firecracker Festival fireworks show on June 27, Festus Fire responded to a fireworks trailer on fire.
Festus Fire Chief Jeff Broombaugh said his department received a call about 10:35 p.m. on the south side of Larry G. Crites Memorial Park. The fireworks show by the Starfire Corporation had concluded about 10 minutes before.
“After the fireworks show, there was a small fire at a fireworks trailer,” Broombaugh said today, June 29. “The workers thought they had put it out. They called us when it came back up. When they went to extinguish it, some fireworks that had not been used went off.”
He said no injuries were reported from those fighting the fire or from the fireworks that ignited.
Festus Fire stopped people from leaving the festival grounds until the situation was brought under control, Broombaugh said.
“Traffic was held back as a precaution,” he said.
He said Festus Fire contacted Hematite Fire to bring its brush truck to the scene due to wet grounds.
“We called Hematite for their brush truck to help extinguish the fire,” he said. “We could not use a pumper in the wet ground. The brush truck has four-wheel drive.”
He said firefighters remained on scene until 11:50 p.m.
He said the cause of the fire is unknown but not considered suspicious.
Mapaville Fire also assisted with the incident, Broombaugh said.