Raccoons foil domino event

BESSEMER - People excited to see the 23rd Annual Domino Fall, a Bessemer Blast attraction that draws a crowd every year, approached the doors of the A.D. Johnston High School gymnasium on Wednesday only to find out that the event was cancelled because of some pesky varmints.

Turns out a family of raccoons had set up their home inside the trailer where the dominoes were being stored.

But they didn't just snuggle up for a few nights of rest and relaxation. Event officials said they were probably nesting in the containers since spring, and also used it as a bathroom.

Linda Nelson, chair of the Bessemer Blast Committee, said after some research was done they decided to cancel the event because the diseases often carried by raccoons could be rather harmful.

"We didn't want to take any chances of harming anyone," she said. "Safety is still our number one motto."

Nelson said the committee is still planning to put the event on the 2015 Bessemer Blast schedule, but all the dominoes need to be remade.