Fire chief: Horse costume may have helped Star Speedway spectator avoid injury

Three spectators fell through rotted wooden bleacher seats during Sunday’s “Halloween Howler” at Epping’s Star Speedway, including a man who was wearing an inflatable horse costume that likely slowed his fall, a fire official said.

According to Epping Fire Chief Ken Berkenbush, a man, woman and child were sitting on a 12-foot wooden bleacher seat when the plank broke late Sunday afternoon, causing them to fall approximately 8 feet.

Because it was a Halloween-themed event and many spectators were wearing costumes, Berkenbush said the man who fell from the broken bleacher seat was dressed in a waist-high inflatable horse costume.

“I think it actually helped him out because it held him up a little bit,” he said.

Epping resident John Spofford was sitting in the row in front of the bleacher