Fireworks shoot toward spectators after ‘product malfunction’ at south Edmonton carnival | CBC News

A homeowners’ association in south Edmonton is apologizing after fireworks appeared to misfire during an annual summer carnival show on the weekend.

Justin Hume and his family members were among the crowd of people watching the fireworks from the beach on Lake Summerside on Friday night. The event was organized by the Summerside Residents Association.

The fireworks were being launched from a dock across the lake, but a few minutes into the show, some shot toward spectators on the beach.

At first, people thought there had just been a close call, Hume told CBC News on Saturday.

“We turned our heads and saw they exploded all around us and people were screaming and we had no idea what was going on,” he said.

In a video Hume recorded on his phone, spectators can be heard shrieking and crying.

He said people left the beach in droves after the incident. 

“Some people thought it was part of the show so they just sat down but once they realized people were hurt and there was fire they all started stampeding out the gates,” said Lillyanna Fortino, who was also on the beach.

Hume said as his family was leaving to go home, he saw a boy with a red mark on his face inside a lake house. 

In a statement posted to its website on Sunday, the Summerside Residents Association said it was assessing the incident and working with authorities to investigate “the product malfunction.” 

“We apologize for the negative experience and the disappointment this has caused for our community members,” the statement said.

“No major injuries have been reported,” the association said.

All Summerside homeowners are required to pay annual fees to belong to the association, which is administered by a board of directors. The association maintains amenities in the neighbourhood and runs events.

The association has not yet responded to CBC’s questions about the fireworks show.

The Edmonton Police Service is investigating the incident, an EPS spokesperson said Monday.

A spokesperson for Edmonton Fire Rescue Services said the event had a fireworks permit. Firefighters were not called to the scene.

EMS was not called to the scene, according to an Alberta Health Services spokesperson. 

Hume said the incident startled his children.

“I don’t know if we’re going to be able to see fireworks for a while,” he said.