Fireworks are a popular pastime for outdoor celebrations and events, but sometimes, things don’t always go as planned. In this article, you will not only learn about the worst fireworks display disaster, but also who holds the record for creating the largest display of fireworks in the world.
Largest Fireworks Display
The holidays are a perfect time for fireworks to shine and display their magic. The biggest crowds tend to gather at the more elaborate shows. However, only one can hold the record for the largest fireworks display. This honor goes to Macedo’s Pirotecnia in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal, which put on a spectacular New Year celebration on the island of Madeira on December 31, 2006. The fireworks were launched from 40 different sites and lasted only eight minutes.
The Worst Fireworks Disaster
Just as pretty and exciting a fireworks display can be, it is also a highly dangerous practice. You’re dealing with explosives and the potential for fire. Accidents happen often and in some cases, fireworks displays have taken many lives. An estimated 800 people died when an accident took place during a fireworks display staged beside the river Seine in Paris, France on May 16, 1770. What was supposed to be a joyous occasion to mark the marriage of the future Louis XIV became known as a tragic disaster.
Worst Tunnel Fire
A blocked heating ventilator caused leaking hydraulic oil to ignite and create a fire that took the lives of 155 skiers who were in the tunnel on the Kaprun railway. The railway was responsible for taking passengers up the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier in the Austrian Alps so that they could ski. The tragedy took place on November 12, 2000.
Largest Flaming Image Using Candles
When it comes to hot advertising, the Sandoz company in Pakistan sure knows how to put their business out in the open. On December 10, 2009, 118 employees used 35,478 candles to create a flaming image of their logo and motto at the Hotel Serene in Faisalabad, Pakistan. The display measured 9.800 feet squared in area.
Largest Gathering of Fire Breathers
The largest gathering of fire breathers took place on October 15, 2008, when 269 people came together in Eindhoven in the Netherlands for an event put on by Intermate , the Dutch student association.
Longest Wall of Fire
At the 2009 MCAS Yuma Air Show in Arizona, a wall of fire that measured 10,178 feet and 3 inches long was created by the Marine Corps Community Services on March 14, 2009.
Fire Juggler
The record for the most flaming torches juggled at the same time by one individual belongs to Anthony Gatto of the United States, who handled seven torches in 1989.
Source: Guinness World Records 2011