Nothing like homecoming week when you’re in high school.
Hopefully, you’re not still scrambling for a date, but even if you’re going stag, it’s just a good time.
Football season is underway and homecoming is always a big game, but depending on where you went to high school, you got the parade, school work seems to go out the window, everybody is in a good mood… it’s just fun.
But one of the best parts? The tradition of the homecoming bonfire.
Usually Wednesday or Thursday night, the students get together for a school-sanctioned bonfire and hangout that acts as a bit of a pep rally before the big game. And then comes the unsanctioned bonfire at somebody’s house afterwards….
It’s pretty common in small towns across the country, but for one Florida high school, the fire went off with a little more of a bang than expected.
According to WJHG 7, an explosion occurred during the lighting of a traditional homecoming bonfire at A. Crawford Mosley High School in Bay County, Florida.
Luckily, there were no injuries, and everybody was safe after the terrifying event.
Bay District Schools shared a statement about what happened that night:
“We know that many people who live close to A. Crawford Mosley High School probably heard a loud and disturbing noise a short time ago. Everyone is safe and no students were in danger at any time. While lighting our traditional Homecoming bonfire, something in the fire caused an explosion.
Deputies and firefighters were already on hand, in line with our customary safety protocols, and so they immediately jumped in to ensure the fire remained contained. We are investigating the cause of the explosion because we did not deviate from our usual bonfire lighting procedures.
Again, we know the explosion was disturbing and we sincerely apologize to anyone who was concerned or scared as a result of the loud noise.
We appreciate all of the calls and texts checking on us and our students, and we’re grateful that our usual safety protocols prevented anyone from being very close when the explosion occurred.”
Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford also released a statement regarding the event:
“Tonight, there was an incident at Mosley High School where the annual homecoming bonfire exploded. This has been a tradition at Mosley started by a previous school resource deputy and was without incident until tonight.
The deputy that set up the bonfire has done so at Mosley for the last 7 years. We are not sure yet what caused the explosion, but take responsibility for the incident. Safety precautions were in place, to include the fire department on site and the students positioned at a safe distance behind a fence, that prevented injury or fire but it still should not have happened.
We apologize for any distress this has caused and I assure you that we are officially out of the bonfire business. Sheriff Tommy Ford”
Needless to say, the students were loving it.
