America’s 250th celebration in Washington, D.C. was marked by over 800,000 fireworks. However, a thunderstorm disrupted the event, forcing organizers to evacuate parts of the National Mall. Attendees were later allowed back into the event.
The Secret Service urged the crowd to seek shelter, but many people resisted evacuation orders, creating a hectic scene. Organizers directed attendees to nearby museums and government buildings, but confusion arose as some locations reached capacity within an hour.
Some attendees expressed frustration over the evacuation. Jack Matthews, who traveled from South Carolina, said, ‘We flew two hours out here and we want our show and they are shutting us down.’ Elias Matthews, also from South Carolina, shared his disappointment, saying, ‘We were looking forward to seeing all the big fireworks.’ Leo Figueredo, visiting from Florida, compared the storm to weather back home, saying, ‘I have freaking hurricanes in Miami. This is nothing.’
The Washington Monument was transformed into a canvas of light for 18 minutes after President Donald Trump wrapped up his nearly hour-long speech. The night ended with a major fireworks display over the National Mall.
Original reporting: WPBF (Treasure Coast / Hearst) — read the source article.
