Fire Breaks Out On Charles River Fireworks Barge
BOSTON (CBS) - The barge that launched the 4th of July fireworks above the Charles River Monday night caught fire early Tuesday morning.
The wooden racks which hold the fireworks mortars caught fire around 5 a.m. Fifteen uncharged rounds on the barge did not burn.
WBZ-TV's Sera Congi reports
Boston Deputy Fire Chief Stephen Dunbar said it appears that sparks left over from Monday night's performance ignited.
He also told reporters it's not the first time this has happened.
"This happened years ago, but not as spectacular as today, so with a lot of fireworks involved there's always a lot of sparks."
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Karen Twomey reports
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The fire was contained within an hour. No one was on the barge when it started.
Divers went underneath the structure after the fire to inspect it.
Dunbar said there is a "firewatch" who stays on the barge for about a half-hour after the show to watch for any signs of fire.
He said next year they'll probably have to stay all night "to make sure this doesn't happen again."
