The Battle Creek Police Department is investigating the incident.
A 40-year-old man in the United States died at the Michigan Air Show when his jet-fueled semi-truck exploded during a horrific pyrotechnic accident.
Videos shared on social media captured the incident on Saturday. The clip shows the truck bursting into flames and then exploding, sending a black mushroom cloud into the air. A thick orange and black colored fireball can also be seen in the foreground of the video as the vehicle disappears from behind and rolls while exiting from the other side.
Check out the video below:
According to new York TimesChris Darnell, the driver of the truck and a family member who had been a part of air show business for many years, was killed during the incident.
The 40-year-old was racing two planes during the Field of Flight air show at Battle Creek Field when his vehicle, the Shockwave Jet Truck, crashed. The two prop planes were flying aeroplanes and were flying over the top of the truck as it veered off the runway when the accident occurred.
The custom-built race truck, which was equipped with three jet engines and a combined 36,000 horsepower, crashed during the pyrotechnic portion of the air show. In a Facebook statement, Mr Darnell’s father, Neil Darnell, said the accident was “the result of a mechanical failure on the jet truck”.
Furthermore, according to the outlet, the festival’s executive director, Barbara Haluszka, explained that despite what it looks like in several videos, the fireball was pyrotechnics and that Mr Darnell did not pass through the flames. “Pyro is on the grass,” said Ms. Haluszka, “the jet truck is driving down the runway. From the side of the crowd, it looks like he’s driving through a straight firearm. But he’s not.”
The Battle Creek Police Department is now investigating the incident.
The vehicle was owned by Darnell Racing Enterprises. The company described the truck as “the most powerful truck in the world”, with three engines providing 21,000 pounds of thrust.
