Firework explodes on patio at NC cocktail lounge, scattering customers, video shows

Customers at Asheville’s Rankin Vault Cocktail Lounge were sitting outside on the patio early Wednesday morning under umbrellas when something on fire and trailing sparks whizzed past them, a surveillance video shows.

Seconds later, the object exploded. It was a firework, spraying brightly colored sparks everywhere, the video shows. Several smaller explosions follow.

Customers who saw the firework fly into the patio area got up from their tables and began to move away before the explosion. When the firework went off, customers scattered, the video shows.

At least one customer hopped the barrier between the patio and the street. Another ducked into a corner of the patio. Others ducked down at their seats, the video shows.

One person was injured during the explosion, which occurred around 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, Asheville police wrote in a Facebook post on Monday. The person’s injuries were not life threatening, police said.

Police did not identify anyone at the cocktail lounge that night.

“The suspects were operating a 4-door, light colored SUV, similar to a Kia Sorrento,” the department wrote on Facebook.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the police department at 828-252-1110 or Asheville-Buncombe Crime Stoppers at 828-255-5050 if you want to remain anonymous, the department wrote on Facebook.

This story was originally published August 2, 2018 at 4:27 PM with the headline "Firework explodes on patio at NC cocktail lounge, scattering customers, video shows."