Boston, MA : Three people were killed and nine injured in a crash on May, Wednesday 3rd 2017

Three people were killed and nine injured Wednesday when an SUV accelerated without warning through a crowded car auction in Billerica, Mass.

Authorities said a 2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee suddenly sped forward and ran down customers at Lynnway Auto Auction, crashing into a wall.

While the cause was not clear, the Massachusetts State Police said in a statement it appeared to be an accident. Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan said she expected a "fairly lengthy" investigation.

The driver was a Lynnway Auto Auction employee in his 70s, officials said. Only employees are allowed to drive vehicles during auctions.

The crash happened in a large building on Lynnway's 58-acre property north of Boston.

"The inside of the building has travel lanes alternating with safe lanes, where people are able to stand and look at the cars as they come by," Ryan said. "As the vehicle began to enter, it suddenly accelerated, traveling through the inside of the building at a very high rate of speed."

A man and two women died at the scene. They were not identified. Nine people were critically injured, paramedics said.

Several hundred employees and customers gathered for the weekly auction, which consigns more than 2,000 cars for sale every Wednesday, according to its Facebook page.

"We are heartbroken that this accident occurred at our premises with a vehicle driven by one of our drivers," said Jim Lamb, president of Lynnway Auto Auction. "Understandably, the driver is very distraught; he will not be driving cars at the auction until the investigation has concluded."

Source :
3 killed after SUV crashes into crowded Mass. car auction