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2nd Briefing, 3 p.m.

State Fire Marshal, Local Police and Fire Investigate Cause of Fireworks Incident

Investigators for the State Fire Marshal continued to work the physical scene of last night's fireworks incident in Woodville until early afternoon. Their focus was on charting the discharged projectiles and diagramming the scene to determine various distances between the crowd and the mortars used in the show. Some interviews with witnesses have also been completed. The Fireworks Incident Team, comprised of arson investigators and code enforcement officials from the Fire Marshal's Office is working in conjunction with the Woodville police and fire departments.

The following has been determined since this morning's briefing:

The device or devices involved were prepackaged aerial displays. Each unit is an approximately three foot long tube filled with eight 2 and 1/4 inch shells. They were set up in clusters of three tubes, bundled together with heavy tape. The bundles surround a partially buried metal stake.

It appears that the force of one of tubes being fired caused the others to come loose, allowing at least some of the projectiles in the remaining two tubes to launch parallel to the ground and into the crowd.

Investigators continue to work on the following aspects of the investigation:

An analysis of diagrams of the scene, including mortars and debris from errant shells to determine the exact number of devices and shells that were involved and also to determine whether appropriate distances from the mortars to the crowd line were observed.

A physical examination of the device to determine if it was properly set up and secured;

A review of records for both the Shipper and Shooter involved, as well as for the Shooter's Assistants; and

Interviews with witnesses and victims.

An overview of frequently asked fireworks questions can be found at: http://www.com.state.oh.us.

Investigators, most of whom have been on the scene since late last night have gone home to rest. No new information on this incident will be available until the next briefing, at 3 p.m. tomorrow.

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