Kimbolton Fireworks to be prosecuted

HocusPocus.Pyro

Registered User
This is very unfortunate news. I feel bad for Ron Lancaster. Does anybody know what happened here in more detail? Has anyone seen reports of the technical investigation? At least this sort of material must be disclosed to the public if Kimbolton appears in court.

Kind regards, Hocus


Kimbolton Fireworks to be prosecuted
06 November 2006

WEB EDITORIAL - webdesk@herts24.co.uk

Kimbolton Fireworks is to be prosecuted for breaching health and safety legislations

Report by NATALIE BOWYER

ONE of Britain's most famous fireworks company's is to be prosecuted following an accident at a display last year, it has been confirmed.

Kimbolton Fireworks is accused of breaching health and safety legislation at an event held in Northamptonshire.

Eleven people, seven of them children, were injured when a firework went into the crowd watching the display.

Speaking to The Hunts Post, chairman of Kimbolton Fireworks, Ron Lancaster said: "We are all still devastated about what happened last year.

"This is the first time anything like this has happened in the company's history and we have never been in court before."

A firework is thought to have malfunctioned and shot into a crowd of 15,000 people at Wickstead Park in Kettering on November 5 last year.

At the time of accident directors at Kimbolton Fireworks said they were very distressed by what had happened.

The display was aborted as soon as the incident took place and the injured spectators were taken to Kettering General Hospital where they were treated for burns.

An investigation was launched by Kettering Borough Council and a Health and Safety Executive team.

Kimbolton Fireworks was founded in 1964 and is now a market leader in firework production. It was the winner of the Atlantic Festival in Maderia 2004 and 2005, and winners of the Gold Prize at Cannes International Pyrotechnic Festival in 2002.

The company is expected to be in court at the end of this month.
 

Vavoom

Registered User
Wow, I'm amazed.

The Rev. Ron Lancaster is one major authority when it comes to fireworks. He can be named in one breath with Shimizu et al.. Of course, accidents can happen even to the best. Although it's never good to hear that some members of the public got hurt, I hope this won't ruin the outstanding reputation of the company.

Don't have the time now to go searching the net, because I have a plane to catch in the morning.
 

propyro2

Registered User
Were'nt using delay chain fusing were they?

The cheapest insurance is some kind of physical barrier between the pyro and spectators. Fireworks are often shooting sideways. So many examples of this all around the world. As pyros we should all go out into a field and fire a cake on it's side just to remind us how far sideways fireworks shoot. You would never fire a cake without securing again.
 
Bovenaan