OVER two dozen people were injured on Saturday night when an element of the major Castell de l’Olla fireworks display in Altea went wrong.
The annual event is one of the biggest pyrotechnic displays in Alicante province and attracts thousands of spectators.
Shortly after midnight, five minutes after the start of the display, a rocket went off course and ended up on the beach.
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Authorities said that 27 people, mainly as a result of bruises they suffered as they rushed to move away from the area where the firework landed.
The device was launched from the sea and the event was put together by the Vulcano pyrotechnic team.
The Valencia region’s Emergency Information and Coordination Centre (CICU) said that the event’s own medical team immediately intervened.
Of the 27 people treated, 14 were taken to the IMED Hospital, with all bar three then transferred to the Burns Unit of Alicante’s General University Hospital.
The remaining 13 people were treated at the Altea Health Centre, before being discharged.
As of midday on Sunday, just one person remained hospitalised and was apparently not in a serious condition.
The Brotherhood of Castell de l’Olla who organise the event said they deeply regretted what happened and passed on their best wishes to anybody effected.
They also thanked the emergency, health and security services that took part in the on-site care of victims and transfers to medical centres.
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