Seven spectators killed in US drag-racing event

Seven people were killed after a drag-racing car lost control and spun into a crowd of spectators during a parade, officials in the US said today.

The crash occurred last night in Selmer, Tennessee, during an “exhibition burnout” which is when a driver spins a car’s tyres to make them heat up and smoke.

Amateur video of the crash shows the car revving its engine loudly and then speeding down a highway lined with spectators. After a few hundred feet, the smoking car skids off the road.

“Bodies were flying into the air,” Selmer Police Chief Neal Burks said.

The identities of the victims and the driver, or the driver’s condition, were not immediately known.

Event organisers, the AMS Pro Modified Series, issued a news release saying the driver was a veteran of more than 20 years in drag racing and had to be taken to the emergency room.

The release said road conditions caused the driver to lose control.

“The race team is in shock and deeply saddened by this unexpected event. Their hearts and prayers are with the injured people and their families,” the release said.

About 40,000 to 60,000 people were expected to attend the weekend event.