Accident Mars Traditional Celebration
In the city of Altea, in the southeastern Spanish province of Alicante, the traditional “Castell de l’Olla” fireworks display took place early Sunday morning, local time. This highly anticipated annual event drew hundreds of spectators to the beach. However, the celebration was disrupted when a firework shell failed to follow its intended trajectory after launch, landing directly in the crowded viewing area and causing chaos.
Injury Report and On-Site Chaos
According to initial information released by the Castell de l’Olla Association, the event’s organizer, the accident resulted in at least 27 injuries. Among the injured, 11 were rushed to a hospital’s specialized burns unit for further treatment due to the severity of their injuries.
Following the incident, panicked spectators began to evacuate urgently, leading to chaotic scenes of people running. In addition to those directly burned by the firework, some individuals sustained injuries from tripping over rocks on the beach during the evacuation.
Preliminary Cause and Organizer’s Response
The president of the Castell de l’Olla Association stated that the preliminary cause of the accident points to a firework casing traveling beyond its expected range, causing it to land incorrectly. The association has expressed its deep regret for the unfortunate incident and extended its sincere sympathies to all the injured and their families, wishing them a speedy recovery. Organizers also thanked the emergency and medical teams for their rapid response and professional assistance after the accident.
Official Investigation Launched
Following the event, local Spanish authorities have officially launched an investigation. The focus of the inquiry will be to determine the specific technical reasons that caused the firework shell to deviate from its planned trajectory, to assess whether there were any lapses in the event’s safety protocols, and to prevent similar incidents from recurring in the future.
