Comments on: Insane Fireworks in Tultepec

By: p chezem

p chezem — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 14:26:35 +0000

thanks for the video , it won”t work in the usa because of the safety restrictions and accidents involved in the industry. government restrictions and anti fireworks lobbyists would eat it alive. it is pretty from a distance and definately an attraction for adventural youngsters , however the usa is not the place libility insurance woul be grievious,

By: Peter Boccaccio

Peter Boccaccio — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 20:20:12 +0000

Hey Harry!

I do business in Tultepec, and on occasion have done the Bull Run. It is my experience that you want to get as close as possible to the bull, as the drivers are slow to develop complete thrust and velocity. Great fun. But not for the US.

Tultepec as you know is an economy based on fireworks. Every so often there are accidents, and sometimes people die. This sad fact does not seem to deter people from continuing to make fireworks, support their families and employ thousands. It almost seems like they are willing to pay the ultimate price.

The bulls in a way a emblematic to a dangerous industry, inducing an adrenalin rush in a community that is accustomed to big bangs.

Nice subject. Cheers.

By: Graylin

Graylin — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 02:17:14 +0000

Harry,
I was there. The first time I saw it I thought ‘insane’. That’s the only way to describe it ‘insane’. There are a lot more people in the town square than can be seen in this video. The stick-less rockets (busca pieses – feet seekers) flying at the people are about the size of a large adult finger, maybe a little wider. If you are not so close and don’t get hit by too many at once you can just brush them off. I have clothing with black scorch marks from these sparking tubes. I purposely keep my distance from these toritos (paper mache bulls). You have to respect the fireworks or you will get burned. Most of the excitement, the scampering and jumping people, hoping not to get hit too badly, occurred away from me. But on occasion the action was a little too close for my comfort as the crowd came running towards me, pushing, to get away from the flying, crackling, tubes of sparks. This year I noticed some of the large toritos also had small multi-shot cakes, roman candles, comet tubes, and other fireworks, like flaming, spinning wheels (coronas) mounted and firing from their backs into the sky. I really feared one of these toritos tipping over and some serious firework projectiles going into the crowd. But that didn’t happen and the handlers always struggled to upright any toritos that fell over. No. Not in the USA. The moment some one gets burned – Lawsuit! And that would be the end of that. This is what happens during the Night of A Thousand Toritos. Starting just after sundown and lasting well past midnight, maybe as late as 3:00 am. The toritos just keep coming one right after another. During the afternoon there is a parade or procession of these toritos through the town to the town square. There is a lot of pride in the construction of each of these toritos and each tends to have a theme or allude to some other socially identifying characteristic, like a super hero or cartoon character. The small, single person carried, toritos are probably built by a single person but the larger four to eight person handled toritos are most likely a group effort, sponsored by a local church, club, or barrio. The parade is very festive, some of the toritos are accompanied by a small band or chanting chorus of boosters. The daytime parade and the nighttime charging of the Bulls is definitely a highpoint to this festival. The toritos that survive the night are most likely recycled for next year but many do not survive, they go up in smoke or get burned beyond recognition. Oh, also throughout the day and night there are salute rockets and shells being fired at random throughout town. For the first time I actually shot some salute rockets, from my bare hand. Insane. I understand this is the one place in Mexico where there are no rules governing fireworks or at least that’s what I heard.

By: burton

burton — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 04:02:47 +0000

I like the video even though it’s nothing I want to be in the middle of. As for the legallity part if your an adult you should have the right to take your own risks without an oversized government saying you don’t have the right to. We all take risks in life regardless of rather it’s driving to work or playing with fireworks. Myself I make and hand lite a dozen or more 6″ shells along with several 3″, 4″, and 5″ shells every 4th. Not the safest thing to be doing, but this is a risk I’m willing to take, just like the guys in the video are willing to take their risk with that. I don’t see them making that celebration in Mexico illigal anytime soon. They have bigger problems. Now here in the USA the government is doing everything possable to stop all fireworks. While I put alot of blame on a government wanting to control everything, alot of blame can be place on common people. Now days someone gets a scratch they want to sue, or whine to the government saying why didn’t you protect me. Wimps, idiots, and big government seem to go together and ruin things for everyone else. There seems to be an over abundance of them right now. Just my take on this.

By: Greg Sanderson

Greg Sanderson — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 05:10:39 +0000

If its too dangerous for you, stay back in the stands or better yet..stay home.
You said it, no fire marshall in the USA Would issue a permit for this kind of show….Makes me ashamed of my country for some things.

By: Greg Sanderson

Greg Sanderson — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 05:06:27 +0000

Right on!!!
This is not crazy,,,this is freedom. You woosie shooters out there who don’t think this would be fun, are taking your fireworks safety books way too seriously!!
For Christ sakes! If you want to throw dinamite, just throw it before it goes off!! It should be your right! I of course, supplied my 12 nephews age 9-19, with goggles and grosses of bottle rockets and we had it out!! Yea…injuries…how bad can a bottle rocket hurt you when it goes off beside your skin…and whats the chance it will do that! Common you naysayers…get some adventure in your life!

By: Harry

Harry — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 20:13:02 +0000

Martin,

I’m told that walking out in front of the “bulls” in Tultepec … it isn’t a question of IF you will get hit. It’s only a question of where and how badly.

Harry

By: Harry

Harry — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 20:10:50 +0000

David,

FYI, there is no single company staging the events in Tultepec every year. There are many Mexican companies involved, and it is sanctioned by the local government there.

Harry

By: Aarkitup

Aarkitup — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 06:31:25 +0000

I am unrestricted Pro pyro with unrestricted pyro theatrical endorsement, living/licensed in Perth Western Australia. This so-called “insane & dangerous” Mexican Tultepec pyro-fun, is very important footage that the whole World should see, enjoy and chat about (in perspective). Public Liability insurance companies should see it also, perhaps then they will understand that consensual folks can, in a controlled environment, be deliberately “insane & dangerous” doing close proximity theatrical performance pyro fun without killing/seriously maiming NON-consensual people/creatures/property. All is needed are some simple basic safety protocols: don’t do it in high winds with risk of embers creating bushfire; don’t do it within 200 meters of a fuel depot and have fire tenders on standby to hose the crowd down with water canons. Also never have anything on the burning bull that could become shrapnel.
There are thousands of things we humans do for fun, art or sport that carry a risk of death/injury and no one blinks an eye, but introduce unorthodox pyro fun, and, suddenly, it seems, we become very bad people.

By: David J Thomas

David J Thomas — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 04:44:58 +0000

I can totally understand being a proud resident of your country and enjoying your right to participate in such a joyous time of the year because I do it every year on the 4th Of July.. But I can tell you this…Watching this video tells me one thing and that is that this festival will continue as it has for how ever long it has been going until someone gets killed… I’ve been into Fireworks,big and small,for as long as I can remember and I was always taught to have the HIGHEST respect for them because they are EXTREMELY dangerous..They dont just write those little safety features on each and every one of them for the heck of it. These words actually mean something. Once more, I’m not the bad guy party pooper type by far. Fireworks to me is an art and watching this video, I’m not seeing anything artistic at all.What I do see is quite a few unknowing young adults running about in circles just waiting for one of those small jets to find someones eye and there is really nothing cool or ballsy about that.. To actually know that there is a company behind all this that condones such an event sickens me even more. If the only thing that has happened so far is just a few burn victims here and there let me tell you,they got off easy because something bad will happen its only a matter of time.Fireworks are meant to be handled one way !! By someone who knows what they are doing.And are to be watched from a safe distance.I had a very good friend of mine lose his life from sticking his head over a pipe by accident and out comes the 6inch shell that snapped his neck like a twig.. He was a pro too..Maybe some of these guys need to see something like that and it will change their minds about doing their little Firework Bull Dance..Boys and girls,whatever you do….. DON’T TRY THAT AT HOME