Marblehead’s fireworks display and Harbor Illumination are canceled after the fireworks barge caught fire around 1:30 a.m. on Thursday. There’s no word on how the fire started.
The Fire Department is “looking for any pictures of videos from last night’s barge fire at the mouth of the harbor to assist with the investigation,” according to an MFD Facebook post. Anyone who has pictures or videos can send them to ridgee@marblehead.org.
Fire Chief Jason Gilliland is asking residents to return the 2,000 flares, used in the illumination, to the fire station at 1 Ocean Ave.
“We’ll store them until next year,” Gilliland told the Current.
Marblehead Fireworks Committee Chairman Alexander Falk told the Current at 11 a.m. that there are no plans to reschedule the fireworks or Harbor Illumination.
This spring, the town signed a $50,000 contract with Atlas PyroVision Entertainment Group, Inc., to produce the fireworks display. All the money came from donations.
When asked what will happen with the $50,000 in donations, Falk said, “I cannot comment on that topic at this time.”
Falk shared the cancellation news on social media.
“The Fire Marshal won’t allow our vendor to perform any fireworks until determination of how the barge was able to catch fire,” he wrote.
Falk told the Current that the barge was used for Lynn’s fireworks show Wednesday night.
“After the end of the Lynn show, the fireworks provider is tasked with firing off any duds that are left over. We had planned to load the new fireworks ont he barge at 6:30 a.m. this morning, which obviously did not occur.”
Marblehead, Gloucester and Beverly fire departments responded to the blaze, along with the Massachusetts Environmental Police and the Marblehead and Beverly Harbormasters.
People in town were disappointed to learn about the cancellation.
“What do our fireworks mean to us here in Marblehead, the home of liberty? It’s a celebration of all Marbleheaders did for this country,” longtime resident Christopher Butler said. “Fourth of July is kind of like our Christmas here in Marblehead.”
Crystal Leiser is visiting Marblehead from San Francisco.
“We flew all the way here to watch fireworks with friends,” Leiser said. “So yes, we’re disappointed.”
Boston’s Channel 7 News reported on the fire and has video of the blaze. You can watch it HERE.
Editor Leigh Blander is an experienced TV, radio and print journalist.
