WFTV.com in Florida reports that at least 35 people were injured at WrestleMania last night due to a pyrotechnics malfunction which sent fireworks and hot cables flying into crowded stands. Most of the fans suffered minor burns and went home with ice packs, but three fans had to be taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center. According to the fire department, nobody was "seriously hurt." One fan complained about the incident afterwards.
"We had to sit up in the bleachers and wait for a paramedic to come. They didn't really examine us. And we had to walk all the way down to first aid and had to ask for a bag of ice just to put on our head."
WFTV.com's full article on this story is available here.
- WWSB ABC 7 in Florida reports that at least 40 people were injured in the WrestleMania pyrotechnics malfunction last night. The earlier report on 411 listed at least 35 people injured.
- WWE also has told Florida's Channel 6 that they are now investigating the pyrotechnics malfunction from last night. Channel 6's coverage is available here.
- WWE just released this statement on the fireworks incident.
WrestleMania XXIV Fireworks Incident
ORLANDO, Fla., March 31, 2008- We're investigating the incident and doing everything we can to find out why it happened and to make sure it never happens again. While we apologize to anyone who was injured and/or alarmed by this occurrence, we take solace in the fact that the reported injuries were minor.
- TMZ has video footage up of the WrestleMania fireworks malfunction. Check out their video here.
I recorded WM last night on VHS, and I saw the pyro went flying into the crowd. I was like "dang, I hope they are okay." Well at least WWE made a public statement about it and that those people didn't seriously get hurt.
I recorded WM last night on VHS, and I saw the pyro went flying into the crowd. I was like "dang, I hope they are okay." Well at least WWE made a public statement about it and that those people didn't seriously get hurt.KevyR
[QUOTE="KevyR"]I recorded WM last night on VHS, and I saw the pyro went flying into the crowd. I was like "dang, I hope they are okay." Well at least WWE made a public statement about it and that those people didn't seriously get hurt.Link256
I missed it. At what point did it happen?
It was toward the end where Undertaker did his pose with the Championship belt and then the fireworks all went off to closed the show. You know when they shot the pyro from the lighting to the staging area like how they did the RAW IS WAR pyro. Well apparently the left side of it came loose, and went stright into those 30 something individuals that got hit. The right side went right to the stage.
- Newsday reports that a Long Island company, Zenith Pyrotechnology, handled WWE's WrestleMania pyrotechnic display which included a malfunction that left 40 fans injured, three of whom had to be taken to a hospital. Newsday has more information on the company here.
- The Today Show on NBC covered the WrestleMania pyro malfunction today. They mentioned tha WWE's pyrotechnic plans for the show were approved by the city of Orlando long before the show.
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