At least 27 people were injured when a firework exploded into a crowd at Altea beach near Benidorm, Spain, during a festival celebration. The incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday during the 40th anniversary of the Castell de l'Olla de Altea, which was attended by around 100,000 people.
Injuries and Hospital Response
Fourteen people were rushed to hospital, with eleven of them treated at the Burns Unit of the General University Hospital of Alicante. Another 13 people were treated at the Altea health centre.
A witness described "moments of real panic" as the firework veered into the crowd. The witness said: "What was supposed to be a night of partying ended in moments of real panic. The fires went straight to the area where we were on the beach and people started running. Ambulances and emergency services went to the scene. There is talk of numerous wounded."
Video Shows Rocket Veering into Crowd
Videos posted on social media show the "peacock" rockets exploding over the sea, but one veers out of control and lands into the shocked crowd, causing mayhem and burns to onlookers. A large white cloud of smoke is clearly visible.
The celebration was organised by the Brotherhood of Castell de l'Olla, and the fireworks were carried out by Vulcano pyrotechnics. The organisers stressed that emergency, health, and security services intervened quickly to attend to and evacuate those affected.
Ongoing Investigation
They are continuing to collect available information and are waiting for official medical reports to specify the extent and nature of the injuries. At the moment, their statement does not detail the specific circumstances of the incident.
