Fireworks Co. Apologizes For Beachwood, Milltown July 4 Debacle

BEACHWOOD, NJ - The president of Fireworks Extravaganza, the company that failed to put on the iconic Beachwood "Fireworks on the Toms River" show on July 4, has apologized and offered to put on another show after stiffing two New Jersey communities.

"I am sorry for yesterday and I will do anything to compensate," said John Sagaric, in a post on the company's Facebook page. "We will work hard in the coming days to offer a solution."

Beachwood Mayor Ronald Roma's response to another show was basically thanks, but no thanks. The borough prepares for the event for weeks before it happens and he doesn't want to take the chance of a repeat disappointment.

"We were all set to go," he said. It's a big event and it takes a lot of coordination and planning."

Milltown was the other New Jersey community that was shortchanged by the fireworks company. Read more: Vendor Fails To Deliver Fireworks For Milltown, 1 Other NJ Town

Sagaric said the company had a problem with the driver who was supposed to deliver the show.

"It was a failure...a failure of not having a strong enough Plan B for yesterday," he wrote on the Facebook page. "We simply ran out of time. This failure is my fault and the development of a Plan B is my responsibility. And for this I am sorry."

Roma said he was shocked when he got the message that the company would be unable to do the show.

"It was after 1 p.m. when we finally got notice the show was going to be a no-go," he said.

Boatsowners had already lined upon the river to stake their spots.

Roma told WOBM, which was scheduled to do a live broadcast to accompany the fireworks, that the fireworks were supposed to be delivered Wednesday from Maryland because there's no place to store them ahead of time.

He told the radio station the event cannot be rescheduled because the law enforcement preparation, including an arrangement with the U.S. Coast Guard, takes weeks to arrange.

This was the first time Beachwood decided to go with Fireworks Extravaganza. The previous company had a prior commitment and Fireworks Extravaganza offered to do the job for $17,000, $3,000 less than other offers, Roma said.

Beachwood had already paid half of the price and Roma is waiting for Fireworks Extravaganza to return the other half. Residents from Beachwood and other towns along the Toms River donate to the fireworks fund all year.

The money will go back into the fund for next year's July 4 display, Roma said.

Photo: By Karen Wall, Patch Staff