‘It just broke apart’ -- Battle Creek airshow victim identified

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. (WILX) - The Battle Creek Fire Department identified the man who died during the air show there Saturday afternoon.

40-year-old Chris Darnell was driving the shockwave jet truck when it blew up around 1 p.m. Saturday afternoon during the Battle Creek Field of Flight air show and balloon festival.

Background: Police say 1 killed in explosion during Michigan air show

It was during a pyrotechnics part of the show when the truck had two jet engines and could get up to 300 miles per hour.

A witness at the scene said that “It just broke apart. It just was like pieces were flying everywhere. And then there was a huge explosion, fire everywhere, and people started running. I just remember sitting there playing just praying, please God, please, God, let him be okay.”

Organizers stopped the air show after the accident. However, it will go on tomorrow and tickets have dropped to $10.

Officials said no one else was hurt.

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