This did not involve rockets but it is proof positive that the HSA must protect us from anything involving streamers, mylar or anything else going into the air!
Dale Greene SPAAR503
Fireworks KO city power By TOM MURSE and SUSAN BALDRIGE Sep 2, 2003, 13:08 EST Lancaster New Era
A freak accident during the Pennsylvania College of Art & Design's first day of classes caused widespread power outages in western Lancaster City this morning.
The school, celebrating its recent name change, shot streamers and confetti from the roof of its North Queen Street building as nearly
300 students, staff and elected officials watched from across the street.But some of the aluminum streamers got caught on a power line running along North Water Street just west of the school, blowing the circuits of a nearby transformer at 9:38 a.m., a PPL spokesman said.
Power was immediately lost to 2,547 homes and businesses, some in downtown Lancaster but most in the western part of the city, said PPL spokesman Don Stringfellow.
City police were dispatched to several intersections to direct traffic where signals were either out or flashing. Before police arrived, however, citizens stepped up to direct traffic at Orange and Charlotte streets, Church and Vine streets and at Church and Strawberry streets, county dispatchers said.
PPL restored electricity to all customers at 10:15, Stringfellow said. By that time, city police reported, signals at all intersections were either working or traffic was being manually directed.
The streamers and confetti were launched straight into the air as part of a celebration of the school's recent name change to the Pennsylvania College of Art & Design, and to welcome students back to school. The school's name had been the Pennsylvania School of Art & Design.
A Glen Rock, York County, firm called Fireworks Productions Inc. was hired to put on the show. FPI has handled much more elaborate and explosive fireworks shows, including Lancaster City's big July Fourth celebrations.
The company's president and vice president were out of the office this morning and not available for comment.
The accident startled students and officials.
"First we clapped, then we screamed, then we laughed,'' said Stacey Robenseitner, a sophomore at the school.
College President Mary Coleen Heil said she saw a ball of light.
"It was sparks and a lot of yellow and orange air,'' she said. "It wasn't supposed to happen like this.''
Power shut down mainly west of downtown, but both the Fulton Bank Building in Penn Square and the Fulton Opera House on Prince Street lost power for more than an hour.
PPL crews and electricians worked furiously to restore power and clear remnants of the metallic confetti from the power lines.
Police officers directed traffic until signals were back on.