Six people, including a pregnant woman, were injured Saturday when a car ploughed into a crowd of spectators at a drag racing venue in Douliu, Yunlin County.

A pregnant woman sustained minor abrasions and abdominal pains when she fell, as the crowd tried to scatter when a Mercedes Benz swerved off the track during a race against a Mitsubishi to test their 0-400 kilometers per hour time over a 100-meter distance.

There were no guardrails at the venue, and the car hit the spectators, resulting in injuries to six people, who were rushed to nearby hospitals.

One of them was reported to have suffered bone fractures that required surgery. That person, along with the pregnant woman, was still in hospital, while the others had been discharged, as of press time.

The accident occurred near the start line, which meant that the vehicles were not at full speed when the white Mercedes Benz crashed into the crowd.

The drag racing event, co-organized by the Douliu City Office and the Yunlin Visitors Association, was held in a public area, where the streets had been closed off and spectators were allowed to gather.

Photo courtesy of a bystander

Douliu Mayor Lin Sheng-chueh (???), who visited the scene of the accident and the victims, said safety protocols had been put in place prior to the two-day show and were being broadcast on an intercom before each race.

With larger-than-expected crowds, however, it became difficult to maintain all of the safety measures, said Lin, who had been promoting the event in video clips prior to its start Saturday.

According to Yunlin County Councilor Chiang Wen-teng (???) of the Democratic Progressive Party, the Douliu City Office was to be blamed for a lack of proper organization.

Not only did the arrangements endanger the public, they allowed noise pollution, as numerous vehicles were allowed to run at high speeds on public roads, Chiang said.

The event was planned for Dec. 4 and 5, featuring scheduled races and car shows headlined by imported race cars and tuned vehicles, but in the wake of the accident, Mayor Lin announced that all the races and shows had been canceled.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel