Computer glitch cuts Elgin's fireworks show short

A computer malfunction cut short Elgin's July 4 fireworks show and city leaders now are mulling over how much to pay the pyrotechnics company.

The grand finale actually went off first, and the whole display ran only 10 minutes before shutting down. The show was scheduled to run 25-30 minutes.

City hall received a number of inquiries as to what happened.

"We'll be talking with (the company) as to how much we'll pay them for this year, if anything," said Olufemi "Femi" Folarin, Elgin city manager.

Central States Fireworks Inc. of downstate Athens handled Elgin's display.

A message left for a supervisor was not immediately returned.

The firm is in the second year of a three-year pact with Elgin that pays $30,000 each year for the Fourth of July show.

In addition to negotiating with Central States on how much to pay for this year's show, the city wants to ensure the problem does not happen again.

Folarin said the fireworks are launched by a computer and the pyrotechnician on duty could not troubleshoot the problem.

"Next time, we need somebody that is not a first-timer," Folarin said. "It's rather unfortunate. That's something everybody looks forward to."

Randy Reopelle, the city's director of parks and recreation, apologized on the city's Web site.

"We understand the inconvenience," Reopelle said. "And we're terribly sorry."