Fireworks in Marblehead canceled after fire on barge

Officials are investigating the cause of an overnight fire on a fireworks ship in Marblehead that led to the cancellation of the town’s annual fireworks display.

The Marblehead Fireworks Committee announced around 10:30 a.m. on July 4 that its annual celebration, which included lighting up the harbor area with torches, had been canceled.

“A fire broke out on the ship in the middle of the night, the cause of which is still unknown,” the committee said. “Fortunately, no one was on the ship at the time and, as far as we know, no injuries were reported.”

Their plan was to set off fireworks from the barge at the mouth of Marblehead Harbor around 9 p.m. on July 4. Instead, the event was canceled and residents with flares were asked to return them to the Marblehead Fire Department. All other holiday events went ahead as planned, the committee said.

The department is looking for pictures and videos of the barge fire, it said in a July 4 Facebook post. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, it said. Pictures can be sent to [email protected].

The Marblehead Fire Department confirmed to Boston.com Sunday evening that it is continuing to collect information to assist its investigation.

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