Risk: An Ottery resident carries a barrel without incident during the annual event that dates back to 1605
Blast: Flames leap up from the burning barrel in front of hundreds of shocked spectators, injuring at least 12
Inferno: Flames erupt at the historic Tar Barrel event in Ottery St Mary, Devon
See the heads,faces and audience engulfed in flames at the bottom right of image.
This is the horrific moment a crowd of people were engulfed by an explosion at a traditional flaming barrel-carrying festival.
A 20ft fireball blasted across a group of spectators at the family event, injuring at least a dozen, after a yob allegedly threw an aerosol can into the burning tar.
One man suffered serious burns and required plastic surgery after his face was set alight during the centuries-old Bonfire Night event at Ottery St Mary in Devon.
Police are now investigating claims of sabotage after witnesses said they saw a boy throw a can into a flaming tar-filled wooden barrel being carried on a man’s shoulders.
The incident could force the festival, which is said to have started after the foiling of the gunpowder plot of 1605, could now be cancelled in future years.
Victim Ian Chown, who needed specialist treatment after suffering first- and second-degree burns, said: ‘I was stood about three or four rows away when it exploded.
I don’t know what hit my face but it was burning me - I managed to rip it off.’
Mr Chown, who lives in the town, was rushed 80miles from a hospital in Exeter to the specialist burns unit at Bristol Frenchay Hospital after the incident on Thursday.
He was told by doctors to rest for two weeks and keeps his injuries covered in Vaseline before he is re-assessed.
‘I’m just trying to come to terms with what happened,’ he said. ‘I’m in a lot of pain from the burns.’
Another victim, Jon Watling, from Taunton, Somerset, who was knocked to the ground by the blast, burnt his left hand after covering his face.
He said: ‘I got up to see everyone on fire - my coat was covered in burning tar.
‘People kept coming in to the casualty tent. There were 15 to 20 in there at a time.
‘One guy next to me was told he would need to have plastic surgery on his face.’
Organiser Graham Rowland said he was ‘appalled’ by the ‘idiotic’ act and called for whoever was responsible to hand themselves in to police.
He said: ‘Whoever did this was an irresponsible idiot. We put so many safety procedures in place but how can you control something like that?
‘I understand around 12 people needed hospital treatment for burns to their faces and hands and we need to find the culprit quickly.’
Local photographer Alex Christaki was able to catch this incredible picture of the fireball as it engulfed a crowd.
Footage of the blast has been posted on YouTube and residents in Ottery St Mary have branded the culprit ‘mindless’.
One man said: ‘This event has now run its course. It’s now time for this very dangerous event to be placed into the history books and stopped forever.
‘Councillors will be held liable and taken to court for corporate manslaughter when a member of the public is killed - the buck always lies with someone.
‘It flies in the face of all health and safety laws. We should stop the tar barrel event forever.’
However, despite his injuries, Mr Chant said he hopes the even will continue.
‘I’m a local and just hope this doesn’t jeopardise the future of this event,’ he explained.
‘All I want is for who ever did this to come forward apologise and explain why they thought this was a good idea.’
Ottery is the only town in the country to carry full-size lit tar barrels through the streets.
The West Country has a history of torchlight processions and burning barrels which are rolled in the streets on November 5 each year.
But at some point it the residents of Ottery decided that rolling was too tame and that carrying barrels on your shoulders was far more appealing.
Seventeen are carried during the event, which starts in the afternoon, and range in size from small for boys, medium for the women and youths, and big for the men.
Traditionally, the barrels are set alight at pubs and hotels around the town until the final barrel is carried in the square around midnight.
The barrels are selected over a 12 month period and their internal surface is coated with coal tar.
The ‘barrel rollers’ come from generations of families who have lived in the town.
A group set up on Facebook called ‘Tar Barrel aerosol thrower to be brought to justice’ now has 1,758 members.
Devon and Cornwall Police said today they were studying footage of the blast.
A spokesman said: ‘The area was obviously very busy with spectators throughout the night and police would like to hear from anyone who witnessed the incident, or has any information.’
---
----
RELATED POSTS:-
- Garbage trucks lead to discovery of dead Fla. girl
- Jaycee Dugard Tells the World She's Getting Her Life Back
- NASA probes give moon a double smack
- Chicago Teenager's Gang-Related Beating Death Caught on Tape-2 held without bail for murder 1st degree
- Fort Hood shooting suspect's ties to mosque investigated same mosque with 9 11 terrorists-Shouted Allah Akbar before gun rampage kill 13 wounds 31
- Ballon Boy.What happen? Is this a hoax?
- Mentall ill patient escape from field trip- Captured 4 days later.No one injured. Convicted for killing old man.
- "Worst of the Worst murder case" said Police- Mum, 5 kids killed in US
- PHOTOS: Victims of the Ft. Hood shootings-Major Nijal Hasan of US Army Fort Hood went gun rampage murder 13 and wounds 31
- Kimberly Munley ended Fort Hood rampage using Virginia Tech lessons-Police Officer confront Major Hasan and shootout occurs.Ending rampage
- Young soldiers show heroism in Fort Hood tragedy-Save cilivians and wounded soldiers from Major Hassan gun rampage killed 12 wounded 31
- After Afghan vote, an awkward task for Obama
- Reports: At least 15 hurt in Pakistan explosion
- In Military Campaign, Pakistan Finds Hint of 9/11 - Laptop passports of terr
- Car bom kills 90 as Hillary Clinton visits Pakistan
- At least 155 killed in two Baghdad suicide bombings Al Qaeda linked group claims responsibility
- Mass. man arrested for alleged terror attack plots-'Jihadist' arrested over plot to kill US forces
- UK sent extra 500 troops to Afganisthan.New wave of attacks in Pakistan and Afganisthan.
- PM gordon apologize to soldier mom for various wrong spelling in condolence letter.
- Suspect, a devout Muslim, asked Army to discharge him, aunt said
0 comments:
Post a Comment