Fireworks at the Fountain: Meet the people behind the pyrotechnics

Event to be streamed at 8 p.m. on ClickOrlando, News 6+

ORLANDO, Fla.Fireworks at the Fountain is set to feature around 1,300 fireworks lighting the night sky above Lake Eola this 4th of July evening.

Ben Dehart with Zambelli Fireworks says they take eight hours to clean up and set up the fireworks on their barge. Then they take to the water and shoot the fireworks from the lake.

“Safety has got to be number one. Cleaning the tubes out is our first step. I go by and check every time before we start getting power to it just to make sure that it’s all hooked up properly. I do a test before we go shoot to make sure each pins get in the correct voltage and we’re getting power to it,” Dehart said.

[RELATED: Fireworks at the Fountain returns to Orlando. What to know, how to watch]

Dehart said setting off fireworks from the water is different compared to setting them off on land.

“I don’t hear anything. I watch it. I hear the fumes go down in the tube, but I don’t hear the explosion up top and we’re directly underneath it. So we pay attention to what’s going on in front of my face and not to shoot your assistant” Dehart said.

Dehart said that of all the events he does, doing fireworks for the city of Orlando is his favorite.

“It means a lot. My dad was in the military. I have family members, my brother-in-law that works with me doing fireworks was in the military. You know, it’s all for them. I mean, if it wasn’t for our military, we wouldn’t be where we’re at today. That is my favorite part of of shooting fireworks on 4th of July would be to shoot to the national anthem just because it means so much to the country and to me,” Dehart said.

The fireworks will begin around 9 p.m. Thursday at Lake Eola.

If you are unable to make the event in person, you can watch it from several different viewpoints and angles on ClickOrlando.com and on News 6+. The festivities will be streamed starting at 8 p.m.


Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily:


Recommended Videos