Fireworks firm fined £4,000 (From Western Telegraph)

Fireworks firm fined £4,000

The company responsible for the chaos and injuries at a Pembrokeshire winter carnival fireworks display has been fined £4,000.

The Devon-based Fireworks Company Ltd admitted breaching health and safety regulations by failing to ensure the safety of the public at the Pembroke Dock display last December.

In a hearing on Monday, magistrates heard the findings of a Pembrokeshire County Council investigation into the matter.

The report found that Western Way car park was an unsuitable site for the display because it was near a petrol station, a playground and a wood supplier.

In addition, the report found that the barriers were a maximum of 20 metres away from the firing area allowing the crowd to come far too close.

Health and safety regulations state that a firing zone of 25 by 50 metres must be fenced off and that beyond this, a dropping zone of 50 by 100 metres must be provided to allow spent rockets to fall harmlessly to the ground. The regulations also state that spectators should be kept on the opposite side of the display from the dropping zone.

The report concluded that these safety precautions had not been observed. fireworks were allowed to detonate over the heads of the onlookers who were standing in the dropping zone.

To make matters worse, one rocket malfunctioned and detonated too early, showering the firing zone with sparks which set of other rockets. In the resulting mayhem, 12 people suffered burns and a further 20 were treated for shock at the scene. Five people were later taken to South Pembrokeshire Hospital.

The companys solicitor, Mr Smith, admitted there were some deficiencies in the training of Jim Hughes, the firer in charge of the display.

Mr Smith stressed that the accident had resulted in the company tightening up its training procedures. Magistrates praised the actions of Keith McNiffe from the St John Ambulance for his actions which allowed a quick response by ambulance crews on the scene.

Magistrates ordered that the company pay £2,683 in costs to cover the council investigation.