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Fireworks Superstore Explodes in a Blaze of Irony

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A fireworks outlet near Knoxville, Tennessee, went down in flames Sunday night in a tragic display just two days after July 4, by far the year’s biggest day for colorful explosions in the sky.

The fire, which began Sunday afternoon around 4:15 p.m., sent the Campbell County building crumbling to the ground, local ABC affiliate WATE reports. About five employees and eight customers were inside when the blaze began but everyone managed to get out safely.

As the flames grew, sending dark smoke whirling into the sky, fireworks began to go off, causing additional fires near the store. Soon, police shut down both lanes of the nearby interstate, causing traffic to back up for several miles. In the meantime, police are still investigating the cause of the fire.

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