Twenty-seven people were injured on Sunday evening in Altea, Spain, when a firework shell veered off course and exploded among spectators at the Castell de l'Olla festival. The malfunction sent the projectile into the crowd on the beach instead of detonating over the water as intended.
Eleven people with burns were transferred to the General University Hospital of Alicante, while others received treatment at the Altea Health Centre. Mayor Diego Zaragozí said some injuries occurred during the ensuing stampede as crowds fled the scene. Organisers, the Brotherhood of Castell de l'Olla, confirmed paramedics responded swiftly.
The incident marred the 40th edition of the annual spectacle, which drew an estimated 100,000 visitors to the coastal town north of Benidorm. This year's display featured a record 1,500 kilograms of gunpowder launched from floating sea platforms.