Barge fire cancels annual Mass. firework show

FOR TONIGHT AS WELL. DOUG. SPEAKING OF WHICH, CINDY, THIS IS BREAKING UP A MARBLEHEAD THE TOWN HAVING TO CANCEL TONIGHT’S FIREWORKS SHOW BECAUSE THE BARGE THAT THOSE FIREWORKS WERE ON CAUGHT FIRE OVERNIGHT. NOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THIS PHOTOGRAPH THERE ON THE HORIZON, SEE THE ORANGE? THAT’S THE FIRE. THE SMOKE TRAILING OFF TO THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THAT PHOTOGRAPH THERE ON THE HORIZON. OH, REALLY? WAS QUITE THE SCENE OVERNIGHT. THE EYEOPENER’S MATT MATT REED IS LIVE IN MARBLEHEAD, RIGHT NOW. SO, MATT, THIS IS DISAPPOINTING NEWS TO WAKE UP TO ON THE FOURTH ANTOINETTE AND DOUG. I SPOKE A SHORT TIME AGO WITH THE GENTLEMAN THAT LIVES RIGHT NEXT TO THIS. SO HE HAD UNFORTUNATELY A FRONT ROW SEAT FOR THE FIRE THIS MORNING. THAT’S THE BARGE THAT’S BURNED OUT THERE. AND THAT GENTLEMAN TOLD ME HE HEARD EXPLOSIONS IN THE NIGHT AS CREWS TRIED TO DEAL WITH THAT FIRE. LET’S SHOW YOU THE VIDEO FROM EARLIER THIS MORNING. IT ALL HAPPENED AROUND ONE THIS MORNING HERE AT THE MOUTH OF THE HARBOR WHERE YOU’RE STANDING RIGHT HERE AT CHANDLER HOVEY PARK. IF YOU’RE FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA AND THIS IS THE AREA THAT TONIGHT WOULD HAVE HAD THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE OUT HERE TO WATCH THE FIREWORKS DISPLAY, OBVIOUSLY, THAT’S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN NOW BECAUSE OF THIS FIRE. NOW, ALONG WITH MARBLEHEAD FIRE OFFICIALS, YOU HAD THE HARBORMASTER AS WELL AS BEVERLY FIRE, MASSACHUSETTS ENVIRONMENTAL POLICE AND THE COAST GUARD ALL OUT HERE ON SCENE. THAT GENTLEMAN I JUST SPOKE WITH, HE BASICALLY HAD A FRONT ROW SEAT THAT THIS WAS THE AREA WHERE KIND OF THE COMMAND CENTER WAS GOING ON. THAT NEIGHBOR TELLS ME HE HEARD THE HARBORMASTER SAYING, LISTEN, TAKE A DEFENSIVE POSITION. JUST LET IT BURN, THAT THERE WAS NO WAY THEY WERE ABLE TO KIND OF PUT IT OUT. SO THAT’S ULTIMATELY WHAT HAPPENED. AS FAR AS THE CAUSE THAT IS UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME. AND THAT IS PART OF THE REASON THAT ON THE WEBSITE FOR THE MARBLEHEAD FIREWORKS, THEY SAY THEY’RE UNABLE TO GO FORWARD TONIGHT BECAUSE THEY DON’T KNOW THE CAUSE. AND OBVIOUSLY THERE’S A MAJOR SUPPLY ISSUE BACK OUT HERE LIVE AGAIN. YOU CAN SEE THE BARGES OUT THERE IN THE WATER. I MENTIONED IT EARLIER. NOW THAT THE SUNLIGHT IS UP, YOU’RE GETTING MORE BOATERS KIND OF COMING OUT THERE AND MAKING THEIR WAY OVER THERE TO GO SEE THE BARGE. OBVIOUSLY THEY HAVE QUESTIONS AND LIKE YOU SAID, ANTOINETTE A MASSIVE DISAPPOINTMENT FOR MARBLEHEAD AND THE FACT THAT THAT NEIGHBOR TELLS ME LAST YEAR WE HAD THE FOG. SO THIS WAS GOING TO BE THE FIRST YEAR. IN THE LAST TWO, THEY WERE ABLE TO SEE THE FIREWORKS. OBVIOUSLY, WE WILL STAY ON THE STORY AND BRING YOU ANY UPDATES FOR

Annual fireworks show canceled after overnight barge fire in Marblehead, Massachusetts

Updated: 7:27 AM EDT Jul 4, 2024

An annual fireworks show in Marblehead, Massachusetts, has been canceled following an overnight barge fire, according to organizers.The Marblehead Fire Department responded to a barge at the mouth of the harbor just after 1 a.m. on Thursday morning, the department said.The Harbormaster, Beverly fire, state environmental police and U.S. Coast Guard were all on the scene battling the blaze. “The Fire Marshal won’t allow our vendor to perform any fireworks until determination of how the barge was able to catch fire,” Marblehead Fireworks and Harbor Illumination said on their website. Marblehead Fire and the Harbormaster are still investigating the cause of the fire.

MARBLEHEAD, Mass. —

An annual fireworks show in Marblehead, Massachusetts, has been canceled following an overnight barge fire, according to organizers.

The Marblehead Fire Department responded to a barge at the mouth of the harbor just after 1 a.m. on Thursday morning, the department said.

The Harbormaster, Beverly fire, state environmental police and U.S. Coast Guard were all on the scene battling the blaze.

“The Fire Marshal won’t allow our vendor to perform any fireworks until determination of how the barge was able to catch fire,” Marblehead Fireworks and Harbor Illumination said on their website.

Marblehead Fire and the Harbormaster are still investigating the cause of the fire.