New Year’s Eve took a frightening turn when a fireworks display went awry, forcing a crowd to take cover and injuring two young girls.
The incident occurred during an unsanctioned fireworks event at Bright Park in Guildford, located in Sydney’s western suburbs, on Wednesday night, which attracted hundreds of attendees.
Videos shared on social media captured the chaos, showing people scrambling as fireworks veered off course, showering the area with bright sparks.
Comments on the footage reflected the shock of onlookers, with one person remarking, “Cruise missile fireworks is crazy,” while another criticized the organizers, stating, “You’ve clearly never set off fireworks before.”
Additional clips from the scene reveal screams amidst the fireworks being launched nearby, with loud explosions overwhelming the audio and a fire igniting near some trees.
Emergency services treated a 12-year-old and a 14-year-old girl for injuries that were not life-threatening, before transporting them to The Children’s Hospital at Westmead for further care.
Another man was treated by paramedics at the scene.
NSW Police said four people have been arrested for allegedly throwing fireworks with the investigation to continue. The offence carries a $7,500 fine.
Crowds of people ran screaming after a ‘missile-like’ firework crashed into the ground
Armed police could be seen patrolling around the park in the hours prior to the display
A heavy police presence could be seen at the park after news of the fireworks display’s start time was shared across social media.
Helicopters could also be seen circling overhead.
Content creator Ehtesham Ahmad, who runs the Horsevibez Tiktok account, posted a series of ‘interviews’ with attendees prior to the display, with many questioning if the police presence would stop the event going ahead altogether.
‘I don’t know, too many cops,’ one person said.
Others said the police wouldn’t be able to ‘stop everyone from going’.
‘Brotha what else are they gonna do bro,’ one man said, while another added: ‘There are some cops but the fireworks are still on’.
Despite the fireworks misfiring, the display was largely lauded by people online who said it beat the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge display ‘any day’.
‘Why go to the city for fireworks when this is what your street looks like on NYE,’ a woman wrote. ‘It was 10/10.’
Local resident Robynn said the fireworks display was ’10/10′
Fireworks were set off near groups of people, sending bright sparks everywhere
In Sydney’s CBD, police made dozens of arrests for assault, affray and offensive conduct
However others criticised organisers for their lack of safety planning.
‘Well Bright Park was lit, but disappointing. It was organised by teenagers. Shocking results and very unsafe,’ one person said.
‘Cops were there but can’t do much. We had a convo with them, very lovely officers.’
Daily Mail has contacted NSW Police for comment.
It comes as dozens of Aussies spent the first few hours of 2026 in custody after a record number of police were deployed to New Year’s Eve celebrations.
NSW Police arrested 38 people overnight in Greater Sydney, including more than nine in the CBD and foreshore areas for various offences including assaults, affray, assault police and offensive conduct.
More than 2,500 officers were deployed across the Harbour City to ensure the community felt safe in the wake of the Bondi Beach terror attack.
Long-arm weapons were also carried by specialist police in the hopes of providing a sense of security to crowds.
