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Jul-06-2008Jones Beach closed after fireworks shells wash ashore(topic overview)
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NEW YORK (AP) — A popular beach on Long Island was evacuated at the height of a holiday weekend after stray, unexploded fireworks washed ashore the day after a July Fourth show, state parks officials said Saturday. [1] Roughly 2,000 visitors were told to leave the Long Island beach immediately after the seaborne shells began turning up around 12:45 p.m. Saturday, officials said. It was the first such mishap in the Jones Beach fireworks show's 14-year history, said George Gorman, deputy regional director for the state parks. Beachcombers, parks staffers and lifeguards spotted the errant explosives, some of which measured 8 inches in diameter, he said.[2]
Once the shore started being assaulted by the firecrackers, lifeguards and parks staffers immediately requested all visitors to leave the scene as soon as possible in order to avoid any incidents and to make room for the intervention teams. More than 2,000 visitors had to cut short their visit to the beach and fortunately, everyone managed to evacuate the area in time, as no mishaps occurred. According to the authorities, the unexploded 'munition' which even presented some pieces of about 8 inches long, ended up on the beach after their lauch during one of Friday's shows for the 4th of July. Apparently, they belong to Bay Fireworks.[3]
The shells were up to 10 inches long and presumed to be from the state park's Fourth of July fireworks show, said New York State Park Police.[4] About 30 miles from Manhattan, Jones Beach State Park is a summer haven for New York City residents and Long Islanders. It drew a record 506,000 people over the three-day Memorial Day weekend, but the July Fourth weekend has been rainy.[1] Jones Beach State Park managed to bring together more than 500,000 people over the Memorial Day weekend, being one of New York's most popular summer spots.[3]
The shells were found along the shoreline of Jones Beach, from the western jetty to Parking Field Six, New York State Park Police said.[5]
New York State Park and Nassau police are investigating the matter as a public safety issue.[5]
State park police and the Nassau County Police Department Bomb Squad were investigating.[4]
Nassau County police said the potentially dangerous shells likely came from the park's Fourth of July fireworks display, although the company that produced it said all its fireworks had been accounted for.[5] Unexploded fireworks shells thought to have washed off a barge used to launch fireworks for the park's Fourth of July show.[6] Parks officials say the fireworks apparently fell off the barge used to launch Friday night's show, which was conducted by Farmingdale -based Bay Fireworks. President Charlie Rappa said his firm takes care to keep track of any shells that don't fire, and he was unsure how any got into the water. He said the soaking should render them inert.[7] The shells apparently stemmed from Friday night's show, launched from an offshore barge by Farmingdale-based Bay Fireworks. President Charlie Rappa said the company takes care to keep track of shells that don't fire, and he was unsure how any could have bobbed to the beach. The show, which drew about 140,000 onlookers, went off normally, he said. In years of overseeing fireworks displays at Jones Beach and elsewhere, "I've never seen an anomaly like this," he said. After hours of soaking in the Atlantic Ocean, the shells were unlikely to pose any danger, he said.[1] The problem was thought to be limited to Jones Beach, although there were unconfirmed reports of shells at Lido Beach. Police said the fireworks they recovered belonged to Bay Fireworks, the Farmingdale company that has produced the Jones Beach show for seven years. The Chinese-made shells ranged from three to eight inches in diameter, and included such varieties as the "Green Willow" and the "Golden Coconut."[5] Police suspect fireworks may have been backups for the company that produces the Jones Beach fireworks show.[8]
MyFoxNY.com -- Jones Beach was evacuated Saturday after hundreds of unexploded fireworks shells washed up on shore, spurring police to close the beach.[4] A rather unusual incident lead to yesterday's evacuation of the Jones Beach in Long Island, where large quantities of unexploded fireworks ended up on the shore.[3] WANTAGH, N.Y. (AP) — A popular Long Island beach has been evacuated on a holiday weekend because unexploded fireworks washed up on shore.[9]
Nothing says "Close Jones Beach Down" like 100 unexploded fireworks washing ashore. While Nassau County's arson and bomb squad didn't believe the wet fireworks would pose immediate harm, authorities were concerned about what would happen when they dried out. [8]
Roughly 2,000 visitors were told to leave Jones Beach immediately after the seaborne shells began turning up around midday, officials said.[1] About 2,000 visitors were ordered to leave Jones Beach after the leftover shells were found around midday Saturday.[9]
Roughly 2,000 visitors were ordered to leave the beach immediately after the leftover shells were found about 12:45 p.m.[7]
The problem was thought to be limited to Jones Beach. It was not immediately clear how the shells got in the water.[4] The authorities treated the matter with extreme consideration, even verifying the garbage cans in the area just to make sure that there were no pieces picked up on the beach and thrown away. Tony Astacio, park police Sgt, explained for Newsday that the issue indeed demanded their full attention, because even though the shells were filled with water, in the event that any of them were left behind to dry and a spark from a cigarette or anything else touched them, they could have easily exploded.[3] Officials closed the beach at 12:30 p.m., shutting the entire park a few hours later after a shell was found in a park trash can.[5] The company's officials explained that, usually, there is a very strict monitoring process which deals with all unexploded shells and a good explanation for the situation has not yet been found.[3]
State officials say the fireworks apparently came from a barge used to launch a show Friday night. [9] Power said police were investigating whether a box of extra fireworks -- backups in case others were duds -- had washed overboard Friday night from the offshore barge where the fireworks were launched.[5]
George Gorman, deputy regional director for Long Island state parks said the agency would "look at what happened and why. [5]
SOURCES
1. The Associated Press: Jones Beach evacuated after fireworks wash up
2. Fireworks find closes Jones Beach -- Newsday.com
3. Fireworks All Across Jones Beach
4. MyFox New York | Unexploded Fireworks Wash Up on Jones Beach
5. Jones Beach closed after fireworks shells wash ashore -- Newsday.com
6. Jones Beach closed after fireworks shells wash ashore -- Newsday.com
7. Fireworks close Jones Beach
8. Gothamist: Unexploded Fireworks Wash Up On Jones Beach
9. The Associated Press: New York beach evacuated after fireworks wash up
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