Mexico monster truck kills 8
Four children are among those dead in Chihuahua, the city says. More than 70 people are injured.
MEXICO CITY — As a crowd of several thousand watched in horror, the driver of a so-called monster truck taking part in an outdoor spectacle apparently lost control and lurched into the audience, killing at least eight people and injuring more than 70, officials in the northern city of Chihuahua said Sunday.
Four of the dead were children, according to a list of victims issued by the city.
The crowd had gathered Saturday at an outdoor arena for the third annual Extreme Aero Show. Although much of the action was overhead, festivities also included a display by the enormous, big-tire trucks. Amateur video of the accident shows a truck successfully hurtling over a heap of wrecked cars. It turns around and does the same maneuver from the op- posite direction, seems to bounce and then plows into the crowd, which does not appear to be protected by any barrier.
There were reports that the driver might have been injured or stunned in the second landing.
In the aftermath, hospitals put out urgent calls for blood donations; nearly 40 people were still being treated for injuries Sunday. Of those, eight were said to be critically injured.
The show was organized by Chihuahua officials and was vigorously promoted by the city. It was a big family draw, and the crowd was estimated at about 4,000.
The driver of the truck was detained on suspicion of negligent homicide, Carlos Gonzalez, spokesman for the state attorney general’s office, said in a telephone interview. “So far, the inspection indicates there was a mechanical failure, but we are investigating everything,” Gonzalez said. Chihuahua is the capital of the border state by the same name, and the state will carry out the investigation of the accident.
“This terrible tragedy … has left all of us deeply troubled,” Chihuahua Gov. Cesar Duarte said via his Twitter account.