About a dozen people who say they were injured by stray fireworks during the Stadium of Fire’s 2024 show are suing America’s Freedom Festival, the state of Utah, Provo City, Utah County, Brigham Young University and several other groups and companies, according to court documents filed this week.
Attorneys filed two lawsuits, one in state court on behalf of Utahns (which names the city, county, state and university among the defendants) and one in federal court on behalf of plaintiffs who were Nevadans at the time of the episode.
The federal case does not name the city, county, state or university. It instead lists only the festival and a list of associates, including a fireworks company, as defendants.
Both lawsuits stem from the 2024 show at LaVell Edwards Stadium after fireworks set off during a military flyover malfunctioned.
“During the course of the fireworks display, the subject firework catastrophically failed and, rather than functioning as intended, it exploded within or near its housing, causing multiple projectiles to discharge horizontally and into the assembled spectators instead of vertically into the air,” says the lawsuit filed in state court. “As a direct result of the malfunction, burning projectiles, explosive effects, debris, and other components of the subject firework entered the spectator areas of LaVell Edwards Stadium, striking numerous individuals.”
The plaintiffs, the court document asserts, “sustained serious physical, mental, and other injuries, and other damages.”
Attorneys argue that the defendants should have known the fireworks posed a risk to attendees and are seeking $300,000 for each plaintiff named in the state court suit.
Read the full article by Addy Baird at sltrib.com.
This article is published through the Utah News Collaborative, a partnership of news organizations in Utah that aims to inform readers across the state.