The giant mushroom clouds billowing over Harding Park were the first sign that something was wrong. Hubbard citizens who'd been coming to the fireworks show at the Founder's Day Fair for years had never seen anything like this.
One man recognized the powerful explosions. "I've read about them," says Chris Fox, who served in the military. "The Army doesn't use them anymore, but they're to simulate a nuclear blast. It's basically a 55-gallon drum filled with diesel fuel. Makes a nice mushroom cloud." The exhibitor, Van Burnett, had saved these for the grand finale of the July 2002 show. These fiery explosions signaled the culmination of a half-hour program. They also signaled the beginning of the end for Burnett and his crew of backwoods pyrotechnics enthusiasts...
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