2012 San Diego "Big Bay Boom" Fireworks Bust

A technical error in San Diego's 4th of July fireworks made for a spectacular but extremely short show... From 'Lectronic Latitude;

Fourth of July fireworks on San Diego are a big thing, with the fireworks being set off simultaneously from four locations. Police even closed off all of Shelter Island to vehicular traffic, and probably did the same with Harbor Island. Local officials estimate that half a million people gathered to watch what was to be a 20-minute fireworks show.

Alas, the show not only started five minutes early, but was 19 minutes and 45 seconds shorter than planned. For due to some blunder on the part of the fireworks contractor, the fireworks were not only shot off prematurely, but all of them were shot off at once. It was spectacular — for the very brief time it lasted. "It reminded me of the first time I had sex with my husband after he got back from Iraq," one woman laughingly said to another. "He was premature, but he was spectacular."