A firework mishap in a town northwest of Los Angeles has left at least 28 people injured after an "unintended" detonation fired fireworks into a crowd during the Fourth of July display.
The incident occurred Thursday night in Simi Valley, Calif., approximately 35 miles northwest of Los Angeles. Rancho Santa Susana Community Park was evacuated and the show was halted after the incident, which took place at approximately 9:30 p.m.
"Everybody started screaming and everything that was supposed to happen didn't happen. It was pretty frightening. And a block of wood … came shooting down into the side of my leg," eyewitness Joanne Herrera told ABC News.
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Of the 28 injured, 4 are considered seriously injured, according to Commander Stephanie Shannon with the Simi Valley police department.
During the incident, fireworks ordinances -- the actual firework container with the explosive material and fuse -- were fired into the crowd. The injuries sustained are consistent with projectile type injuries, with shrapnel projected into victims' bodies.
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"We saw at least two or three fireworks go sideways, horizontally and explode," said J.T. Alpaugh, a KABC reporter who was watching the display with family."And then it seemed like the barrage of fireworks started exploding at the base of the park, right near the soccer field at ground level. Now obviously fireworks are designed to go up 200 feet in the air and explode. And we realized immediately that something was terribly, terribly wrong."
After the incident fireworks were still on the field. Authorities have evacuated the field, and are waiting for the VC fire department bomb squad to respond to detonate deactivate the unexploded fireworks. Ventura County Fire Department said the injured are being transported to Simi Valley Hospital, Las Robles Regional Hospital and Holy Cross Hospital.
"We're still in the process of sorting out exactly what happened and treating the injured and evacuating them to area hospitals," John Parks, the watch commander at the Simi Valley police department, said late Thursday.
Many of the injured were being wrapped up with gauze with what appear to be burn like injuries, and were being brought into ambulances with IV bags being held.
Police said fireworks accidentally detonated during the display. According to Parks, precautionary measures taken ahead of the fireworks display were key to a quick response after the incident.
"We had about 40 police personnel on scene as well as fire and ambulance people who were staged at the part of the fireworks production for crowd and traffic control and security. So the response was really rapid and the people that were injured were attended to very quickly," he said.
The Independence Day event was sponsored by the support of the Rancho Simi Recreation and Parks District.
ABC News' Alex Stone and Rebecca Lee contributed to this report.
The incident occurred Thursday night in Simi Valley, Calif., approximately 35 miles northwest of Los Angeles. Rancho Santa Susana Community Park was evacuated and the show was halted after the incident, which took place at approximately 9:30 p.m.
"Everybody started screaming and everything that was supposed to happen didn't happen. It was pretty frightening. And a block of wood … came shooting down into the side of my leg," eyewitness Joanne Herrera told ABC News.
Fireworks: Contraband or Fourth of July Fun? Read more here.
Of the 28 injured, 4 are considered seriously injured, according to Commander Stephanie Shannon with the Simi Valley police department.
During the incident, fireworks ordinances -- the actual firework container with the explosive material and fuse -- were fired into the crowd. The injuries sustained are consistent with projectile type injuries, with shrapnel projected into victims' bodies.
The Explosive Dangers of Fireworks Watch Video
Celebrate Independence Day Safely Watch Video
Enjoy Your July 4th Fireworks -- Safely Watch Video
"We saw at least two or three fireworks go sideways, horizontally and explode," said J.T. Alpaugh, a KABC reporter who was watching the display with family."And then it seemed like the barrage of fireworks started exploding at the base of the park, right near the soccer field at ground level. Now obviously fireworks are designed to go up 200 feet in the air and explode. And we realized immediately that something was terribly, terribly wrong."
After the incident fireworks were still on the field. Authorities have evacuated the field, and are waiting for the VC fire department bomb squad to respond to detonate deactivate the unexploded fireworks. Ventura County Fire Department said the injured are being transported to Simi Valley Hospital, Las Robles Regional Hospital and Holy Cross Hospital.
"We're still in the process of sorting out exactly what happened and treating the injured and evacuating them to area hospitals," John Parks, the watch commander at the Simi Valley police department, said late Thursday.
Many of the injured were being wrapped up with gauze with what appear to be burn like injuries, and were being brought into ambulances with IV bags being held.
Police said fireworks accidentally detonated during the display. According to Parks, precautionary measures taken ahead of the fireworks display were key to a quick response after the incident.
"We had about 40 police personnel on scene as well as fire and ambulance people who were staged at the part of the fireworks production for crowd and traffic control and security. So the response was really rapid and the people that were injured were attended to very quickly," he said.
The Independence Day event was sponsored by the support of the Rancho Simi Recreation and Parks District.
ABC News' Alex Stone and Rebecca Lee contributed to this report.