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Fiery "mushroom clouds": apparent fireworks mishap in Sault, Michigan (5 photos)

20-30 ft high fiery clouds were seen rising up from the launch area of Sault, Michigan's Independence Day fireworks show

Fiery “mushroom clouds” or "rings of fire" approximately 20-30 ft high were seen rising up from the launch area of the July 4 Independence Day fireworks in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan on Monday evening.

During the end of the city’s annual fireworks show, crowds watching from the Canadian side of the St. Marys River saw seemingly-unintended clouds of fire come up in two distinct puffs less than a minute apart in what appeared to many as a fireworks mishap.

A few more fireworks were shot after the two fire-clouds and then the show ended.

Multiple witnesses described the incident in the same way saying that it looked like “mushroom clouds” or “rings of fire” coming up from ground.

“Basically there was a series of fireworks then a bit of a break and then two mushroom clouds went off. It looked like something a lot worse might happen. It was like they shot too low and I was waiting for something on the ground to explode but luckily nothing did. The clouds sort of reminded me of when in the movies you see the nuclear bomb going off, something like that. It didn’t look intentional,” said Spencer Mitchell, one of many onlookers.

“I thought they were like thick rings of fire, " said Joseph Beaupre.

“It was two clouds, one right after another, right out of nowhere. Everyone was wondering what was going,” said Ahaan Marwah.

“I don’t know if it was a malfunction. It was right after the grand finale, or in the midst of it, so it’s hard to tell,” said Matt Trunzo.

Captain Rod Sanford of the Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan Fire Department said his department was not notified of an emergency and as far as he is aware, no city fire, police, or ambulance services were called or dispatched.

The fireworks were launched from one of the islands that are part of the Soo Locks which are under the care of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

As of late last night they could not be reached for comment.

 


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Jeff Klassen

About the Author: Jeff Klassen

Jeff Klassen is a SooToday staff reporter who is always looking for an interesting story
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