Burnout Gone Wrong: Vehicle Sprays Burning Fuel Onto Crowd [VIDEO]
On Sunday, 14 people were injured when a vehicle sprayed hot, burning fuel onto a crowd of spectators at a burnout competition on the Alice Springs Inland Dragway in Australia. One man is in critical condition, suffering burns over more than 30% of his body; his son was also injured in the incident and is in serious condition.
The incident was caught on camera by members of the crowd. The camera angle is from the back of the audience, but you can clearly see the fuel, on fire, spout into the audience, causing the crowd to quickly disperse.
The event was originally being hosted by the Red Centre NATS. However, in light of the accident on Sunday, the remaining events in the competition have been cancelled. “This is a distressing situation,” the company said in a statement on Facebook. “Due to the incident, the organizers ceased the competition so the focus can be on the people who are in need of assistance.”
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The reason for the fuel leak is not yet determined, but NT News reports that the incident was not a surprise to safety experts. “Motorsports are inherently dangerous,” explained Andrew Hopper, general manager for NT Major Events. “Cars involved in burnouts can lead to fires occurring.” He explained that with demonstrations like this, it is “not uncommon for there to be fires related to burnouts.”
The local government has offered to pay for the transportation of the victims’ family and friends. However, whether or not they pay for the medical bills of the victims will be determined by an investigation of the incident.
Safety is of the utmost importance in events like this. With the risk of fire or other dangerous accidents, spectators need to be a safe distance away from the action taking place on the track. The incident’s investigation will determine whether or not the proper safety precautions were taken leading up to this event.
Watch the full video of the incident here (graphic content):
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Sources: Jalopik, NT News, Red Center NATS (Facebook)
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