Flying debris from malfunctioning engine kills woman during tractor pull, PA cops say

A 33-year-old Pennsylvania woman is dead after being struck by a piece of debris during a tractor pull event at a county fair, according to police.

The incident happened at about 8:30 p.m. Aug. 11, at the Union County West End Fair, in Laurelton, according to a Pennsylvania State Police report.

An “equipment malfunction” launched a piece of a tractor’s engine toward spectators, and the woman was hit in the neck, the report said.

“It was discovered an exhaust wheel within a turbo housing of the tractor became dislodged and ejected from its manifold,” according to the report. “The exhaust wheel then ejected from the metal covering of the tractor, before a piece of the wheel struck the victim.”

First responders conducted life-saving efforts at the scene, the report said.

The woman was taken to a hospital where she was pronounced dead, PennLive.com reported.

Dennis Boop, president of the county fair, called the death “a freak accident,” the outlet reported.

There is no evidence of foul play or criminal activity, the police report said, adding that the Union County Coroner’s Office is helping with the investigation.

Laurelton is roughly 180 miles northwest of Philadelphia.

This story was originally published August 13, 2023 at 4:12 PM with the headline "Flying debris from malfunctioning engine kills woman during tractor pull, PA cops say."