Police Investigating Illegal Fireworks Display In Greenwich: PD

GREENWICH, CT — Greenwich police are investigating following an illegal fireworks display that occurred on the Fourth of July in Bible Street Park. In a lengthy Facebook post, police described Saturday's display as an "illegal and unlicensed ignition of professional-grade fireworks."

According to police, officers responded to the park around 9 p.m. after receiving a report of fireworks being unloaded from a truck and a group of nearly 300 people gathered there in anticipation of a display. (To sign up for Greenwich breaking news alerts and more, click here.)

"The fireworks were nearby to neighboring houses," police said on Facebook, "no Greenwich Fire Department personal were on scene, the town of Greenwich parks and recreation department did not authorize the fireworks and no one was supervising the ignited display."

The display consisted of two 4-foot-by-8-foot pieces of plywood with "professional aerial exploding fireworks," similar to ones used at town-sanctioned firework displays, connected to the boards, police said.

"Only 25 percent of the fireworks ignited," police said. "The other 75 percent failed to do so due to fuse failure."

Police said the Stamford Bomb Squad needed to be called to the area to dispose of the fireworks. During this, a bomb squad technician told police the improperly rigged display "represented a serious risk" to the assembled crowd of spectators, as well as the nearby homes.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 203-622-8054. Confidential tips can be left at 203-622-3333, and confidential emails can be sent to TIPS@GreenwichCT.org.

Further information and a picture of the illegal display can be found on the department's Facebook page.