'Fireworks Mishap' Injures 28 in California Town, 'Everything Exploded' Says Witness (VIDEO)

The Fourth of July went from festive to horrific in the bat of an eye when an accident caused fireworks to begin shooting into the crowd in Simi Valley, Calif., injuring at least 28 people, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Authorities are referring to the event as a "fireworks mishap" that was likely caused when the wooden platform holding the fireworks tipped over after being lit, thus causing the fireworks to shoot straight into the crowd of people instead of flying into the air, according to NBC News.

"Although it is still unknown why the launching station fell over, there are no indications of foul play and it appears that this is an industrial type accident," a statement from the Simi Valley Police Department said.

Somewhere between 8,000 and 10,000 people were in attendance to watch the fireworks display. Of the 28 people who were injured 20 were taken to area hospitals to tend to their wounds. Four were listed in serious condition, although their injuries were not deemed life threatening, while the rest were treated for minor to moderate injuries, according to the Associated Press.

"There was a big boom," Justice Allen told the Los Angeles Times. "Everybody started running down the street. People were screaming. Everybody was just terrified. People hid in bushes."

A couple of witnesses described the scene and the panic within the crowd to NBC News.

"We saw about three minutes of the show," a witness said. "There was some that went up in the area and everything just kind of scattered outwards and then everybody just started running."

"Everything exploded and parts came flying everywhere," a different witness told NBC News. "People were running everywhere. It was pretty scary."

Despite all of the chaos Simi Valley Police Cmdr. John Parks said that the accident was handled as smoothly as possible thanks to there being a large number of police, park rangers and firefighters already at the celebration. Also, the public was able to disperse in an orderly fashion helping clear the path so that the injured could be attended to, according to the Los Angeles Times.