Wills Hall students keep setting off chaotic firework displays in Old Quad

Videos have emerged of Wills Hall freshers setting off fireworks just outside the hall of residence.

The firework displays have happened every night since Wednesday, with many going completely awry.

Greg, a fresher who was there on a particularly chaotic night, has said it was a “last big party” before lockdown. Since the initial incident which took place on Wednesday night, students have been sporadically setting off fireworks in the historic Old Quad.

Fireworks are banned under the fire safety rules of the Bristol Uni hall of residence, and possession of fireworks “may result in disciplinary action”.

Cleo, a resident in Wills who was also present, said “fireworks weren’t set off in a way of protest, I think it was purely just people making their own fun and making the most of our last night of ‘freedom’.”

Cleo posted a video of the incident on TikTok and it has since amassed just under 15k views.

Other videos posted on TikTok, Snapchat and other social media stories show students screaming and running as the explosions get increasingly out of control. Some videos also show students and buildings getting hit by the fireworks.

Though students were hit and a bit shaken, witnesses at the scene say nobody has been hurt.

Greg also told The Bristol Tab: “No one got fined I think. The incident happened five minutes before 12am so once it had happened everyone left and went to their rooms. Security arrived and were really angry but they didn’t catch anyone.

“I heard a guy burnt his hair as a result of the fireworks. My friends and I were standing right exactly where the fireworks fell. Thank God we managed to run fast.”

So far no one has come forward and claimed responsibility for the incident, and the university has not communicated with the students involved regarding the incident, despite fireworks being prohibited.

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