Community wants Punkin Chunkin to stay but what’s to come

chunkin. two were injured – one remains in critical condition. delaware state police corporal gary fournier tells 47 abc that it is still an ongoing investigation but it has been deemed an industrial accident. which means the names of the two injured during the explosion will not be released — unless punkin chunkin decides to release the names themselves. police say the 39 year old woman remains in critical condition — and although she was wearing a helmet — the impact and weight — of the launch door that flew off and hit her — proved too forceful. as for the other victim — police tell 47 abc he has been released from the nanticoke memorial hospital. there’s still no word on how the machine’s launch door blew off — state police are currently working with a specialist from dnrec — that investigates incidents like this to try and understand what happened — you know these cannons are inspected prior to them ever even shooting off any of the pumpkins before the actual event so they’re inspected there’s actually some sort of stamp of approval that’s given to the machinery before they’re even launched in this event corporal fournier also tells 47 abc that alcohol was not a factor in this incident. now that raises the question — after a two year hiatus based on safety and insurance concerns — and its return tainted by an accident — what might happen next for punkin chunkin? 47 abc’s dani bozzini has the story — 05:47:56 i would really like to see it come back 05:48:00 track one for the last couple years –punkin chunkin has been trying to bring the event back to bridgeville — after dealing with a lawsuit — stemming from an incident in 20-11 — finally this year they did — sally brumfield — whose backyard is part of punkin chunkin — said they worked tirelessly to make this event the best yet — and family friendly again — 05:47:05 you could tell the difference the college kids didn’t come down all intoxicated to begin with and they had more kids out here it’s just you could tell the difference between families they wanted to have fun they wanted to come have fun and watch the shows and it was a great event until till the end 05:47:24 track two unfortunately — near the end of the event on sunday — what brumfield calls a freak accident occurred — putting a halt on the fun — but this year — punkin chunkin had a liability waiver — for all bystanders — participants — and observers — stating that if injury were to occur — punkin chunkin — and owner of the land its held on are not responsible — we spoke to a lawyer not affiliated with either punkin chunkin or those injured to shed some light on the liability waiver — 06:03:55 so in this case when someone signs this waiver for them they’re thinking if im driving on a four wheeler and i hit a pothole out in the field that’s the type of thing that we know is a risk attendent to punkin chunkin activity 06:04:09 track three he says the waiver definitely helps punkin chunkin if a lawsuit is filed — but there is a possibility of it not holding up in court — 06:04:15 is it foreseeable that there is going to be a malfunction in charpnels going to shoot out of a pumpkin cannon i dont know that strikes me as a question for a jury and if you have aquestion for a jury you’re not getting out a lawsuit you’re encouraging a lawsuit 06:04:45 track four dani bozzini, 47 abc 47 abc reached out to punkin chunkin — president frank payton — who had no comment about the future of the event — but says he is staying positive. a dorchester county woman — will spend the rest