Three Children hurt after cannon mishap in Orem parade

Three children were hurt after a cannon malfunctioned at the Orem Summerfest parade.

A Civil War reenactment group fired a cannon on 800 East, just south of Center Street, at the beginning of the parade. When the cannon went off, a spark landed on “a large pouch that contained additional charges for the cannon,” according to an Orem Police news release.

“It fired normally the first time,” said Wayne Latu, a witness to the incident. “And then there was a second explosion, and a fireball that you saw that came out of the smoke.”

Police said the children were treated at the scene and later transported to the hospital by ambulance in stable condition.

“There were kids lying on the ground,” Latu said. “One girl was hopping on one foot, and there was overall shock.”

Witnesses say several people ran to help the children after the explosion.

According to a physician assistant who did not want to be named and who ran to the children’s aid, the injuries did not appear to be life threatening. He also said the children appeared to be 10 years old, and one of them had burns on the face.

Agencies/Canadajournal