Commercial fireworks into Lunar New Year festival crowd send 8 to hospital

Eight people were transported to the hospital early Saturday morning when fireworks were discharged into a large crowd at an event celebrating the Lunar New Year, authorities said.

Orange County Firefighters responding to a call at 12:24 a.m. in the area of Westminster Avenue and Euclid Street in Santa Ana found a number of patients scattered throughout several blocks who had been hit by “fireworks shrapnel,” said OCFA Capt. Jeff Sutherlin.

He described the fireworks as professional-grade, adding, “Some were discharged into the crowd.”

It wasn’t known what led to the incident. An investigation is underway, Sutherlin said.

Firefighters needed police escorts to get to the injured people because the crowd was so large, he said. In all, he said, 12 people were assessed at the scene and eight were transported. Of the eight, two people had traumatic injuries. He described other injuries as minor.