A community fireworks event in Hobart’s northern suburbs has descended into chaos tonight, with fireworks reportedly shooting into the crowd and hitting spectators.
The public Cracker Night event in Claremont was organised by a local property owner to raise funds for the Claremont Junior Football Club.
It was held at 48 Russell Road in Claremont on Saturday, with a bonfire from 6pm and a fireworks display scheduled at 7pm.
Video taken by spectators, which were verified by Pulse, show fireworks flying across the ground and exploding in between groups of people.
Onlookers could be heard screaming “oh my god, what the f**k, this is ridiculous” as the sound of fireworks rocketed through the air.
One witness, who asked not to be named, said she had found out about the event through Facebook and decided to attend as a family night out to support the local club.
She said fireworks began firing horizontally into the crowd shortly after the 7pm display started, reportedly hitting multiple people.
“We thought we were under attack and we had to run to our car,” they told Pulse.
“The kids were just screaming and parents were trying to watch but protect their children at the same time.”
The witness said she was hit in the chest hard enough to be knocked backwards, while her son was struck on his ear.
Her friend’s daughter was hit twice as they tried to flee.
“There was no safety … there was no barriers for people to keep back, there was nothing,” the witness said.
She said many people quickly fled the event after the incident.
The organiser of the event did not respond to calls from Pulse.
Tasmania Police said the incident had not yet been reported to authorities.
The event was one of hundreds held across Tasmania for the state’s annual Cracker Night celebrations.
A total of 610 permits were issued this year, with 12 tonnes of fireworks sold across the state.
Cracker Night is celebrated each year on May 24 or the following Saturday if that date doesn’t fall on one.
Permit holders are required to set off fireworks on properties of at least 1,000 square metres, with displays limited to set time windows between 7pm and 8:30pm.
