This Is One Of Iowa’s Biggest Firework Show Fails
The 2013 Coralville Fourth of July Display Went Up in Smoke—All at Once
The Sky Lit Up… Then It Was Over
Back in 2013, spectators gathered in Coralville, Iowa, to watch the city’s annual Fourth of July fireworks show. But instead of a night full of colorful bursts and booming excitement, they got a surprise—and not the good kind. The sky erupted in a massive, chaotic fireball right at the start, resembling what most would assume was the grand finale.
Turns out, it was nearly the entire show.
A Glitch That Burned Through the Budget
A computer glitch was to blame for the premature explosions. Coralville Fire Chief Dave Stannard confirmed that user error was ruled out following post-show testing.
Fire prevention officer Orey Schwitzer estimated that 70 to 75 percent of the fireworks were launched within the first minute of the show. No injuries were reported, but the spectacle was over almost as soon as it began.
City Administrator Kelly Hayworth said the glitch disrupted the launch order, causing multiple fireworks to be released at once. “We haven’t determined if it was a hardware or software glitch,” Hayworth said at the time. “The good thing was that everything was done safely.” Coralville spent around $12,000 on that year’s fireworks display.
Not the First—and Not the Last—Fireworks Flop
The 2013 mishap wasn’t Iowa’s only fireworks failure. Around the same time, Iowa City experienced its own Fourth of July disappointment when a technical issue caused long gaps between launches. The show dragged on so slowly that many attendees left before it was over.
A Fireball Memory That Lives On
Although more than a decade has passed since Coralville’s one-minute fireworks fiasco, it remains one of the most memorable misfires in Iowa's Fourth of July history. What was meant to be a night of patriotic celebration became a short-lived spark—literally.
