10-Year-old boy suffers head burns after South Bend Motor Speedway explosion
Posted: Jul 5, 2012 9:00 PM EDT | Updated: Nov 6, 2014 4:48 AM EDT
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The 'Night of Destruction' at the South Bend Motor Speedway on Wednesday night may have turned into more than some spectators bargained for on the 4th of July.
A video posted on YouTube shows an actual explosion. We learned it sent flaming debris into the stands. You can see the frightened look on the faces of spectators in the stands.
Clay County dispatcher said they received a call at10:53 last night stating that 10-year old boy was suffering from burns to his head.
The YouTube video shows flaming metal debris of a car flying into the air and into the stands of spectators. You can see the frightened look on faces of several spectators in the stands.
According to clay fire dispatch emergency crews were dispatched to the speedway and an ambulance transported the boy to Memorial Hospital with minor burns to his head.
Steve Brown, one of the owners of the motor speedway, says the little boy was terrified, after something went wrong when what he calls a "fire ball" projected 90 degrees the other way into the spectator stands.
Bill Brown, Steve’s Father and also an owner, said 3 to 4 thousand fans were in the stands watching- what's called a “jet car burn” by exhibitionist Freddie Sibley of Elkhart.
Steve Brown says flaming debris also burned a hole through a woman's shirt who was watching the show as well, but she refused medical treatment because she wasn’t injured.
ABC 57 News found what was left of the burned out vehicle used in the stunt at Kowaski’s Auto Parts City.
The car was missing several parts that had been blown off by the jet engine that poured out hot flames.
A few staff members that didn’t want to go on camera at Kowaski’s Auto Parts City say they were at the South Bend Motor Speedway for the night of destruction July 4th event. They tell ABC 57 News that after the incident in the stand they remember hearing on the public announcement system, if anyone knew how to speak both English and Spanish please come to the grand stand area.
The owners tell ABC 57 the 10 year old boy who was injured and his parents couldn’t speak English and they needed to interpreter to assist with communications between the owners and the family. No word on the little boy’s condition tonight.
Steve Brown says the exhibitionist has 40 years of experience doing the same stunt, but last night something went terribly wrong. He said his wife and children were in the stands and wants the public to know he is extremely sorry about the accident.